Yakima County resident dies of bird flu after cattle exposure

What happened

The Yakima Health District reported the death of a county resident hospitalized with severe illness after contracting bird flu, also called avian influenza. The person was exposed to infected cattle at a dairy in Yakima County, in south central Washington on the Oregon border, and died Sunday, according to the district. The individual had underlying health conditions and was not publicly identified.

Local health officials said they are working with public health partners to identify and contact people who may have been in close contact with the person to monitor for symptoms. The district offered condolences to the person's family and loved ones.

Cases and risk

The Yakima district announced the county's third confirmed human bird flu case in the same Sunday statement. That person was also exposed to infected dairy cattle but did not experience severe illness or require hospitalization.

Yakima County officials said since early October, 33 dairy herds have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza. They stressed that the risk to the general public remains low and that people at greater risk include dairy workers and others with close or prolonged contact with infected animals or contaminated environments.

Human-to-human transmission is described by county officials as extremely rare and never documented in the United States. The CDC has recorded 72 human cases nationwide since 2024 and says there is no known person-to-person spread.

Broader context

The CDC announced the first US death from bird flu complications in January 2025. Public health specialists quoted by ABC News said the virus remains active in dairy cows and that the Yakima death is a reminder it is still circulating.