Washington Reports First U.S. Bird Flu Death of 2026

Health officials in Yakima County, Washington, have reported the first human death from avian influenza (bird flu) in the U.S. for 2026. The individual contracted the virus after exposure to infected dairy cows and experienced a severe illness. While this marks the third human death from bird flu in the U.S. since February 2024, health officials emphasize that the risk to the general public remains low, and no human-to-human transmission has been documented.