Bird flu: first ever death from rare H5N5 strain is recorded in US

Washington state resident's backyard flock of domestic poultry had been exposed to wild birds, health officials said

A person in the US is believed to be the first human to die from a rare strain of bird flu, but state health officials said on Friday the risk to the public is low.

The person in Washington state, an older adult with underlying health conditions, was being treated for a bird flu strain called H5N5 after becoming seemingly the first known human infected by the strain, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Health.

This article was amended on 22 November 2025 after the AP corrected its copy to remove a reference to the person's gender, which has not been released by health officials