First US avian flu death in a year reported in Washington State

A person in Yakima with pre-existing conditions died from H5N1 after exposure on an infected farm, marking the first avian flu death in the U.S. in a year. Over 70 human cases have been reported since 2024, but CDC maintains low risk with no evidence of human-to-human transmission. The death underscores ongoing zoonotic spillover but does not signal a shift in pandemic potential.

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