Health · 2026-11-03 · Morning briefing

US reports first bird flu death of 2026 in dairy worker

A dairy worker in Yakima County, Washington, has died after contracting H5N1 bird flu from infected cattle. The death on Sunday is the first from the virus in the United States in 2026 and the third since 2024. The individual, who had underlying health conditions, was the third dairy worker in the county to be infected in recent weeks; the other two were not hospitalised.

The H5N1 virus jumped from birds to dairy cattle in late 2023 and is now endemic in US farms. Since 2024, more than 700 herds have been infected across the country, leading to over 70 human cases. While health authorities in Yakima County maintain that the risk to the general public remains low, the outbreak is also raging on at least one mink farm in Utah.

Virologists warn that allowing the virus to circulate unchecked in mammals increases the risk of mutation. Marc Johnson, a virologist at the University of Missouri, stated the outbreak was “completely preventable” through herd isolation, but that the routine transport of cattle across state lines continues to spread the disease.

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• Washington reports first US bird flu death of 2026; health officials say risk to the public is low
• Washington State Reports First US Avian Influenza Death of 2026
• WA records first bird flu death of 2026
• Officials Report First Bird Flu Death in US in 2026, Say Public Risk is Low
• Washington reports first US bird flu death of 2026; health officials say risk to the public is low

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