Grays Harbor County – The Grays Harbor County resident infected with bird flu this month has tested positive for a type of the virus never before detected in humans, state health officials confirmed on Friday.
The state Department of Health confirmed on their social media page the infection as the first human case of bird flu in the state this year — and the first in the country in at least eight months. Additional testing with the University of Washington revealed the virus is H5N5, a type of bird flu that’s previously been reported in animals but not in humans.
They added that the risk to the public remains low.
Bird flu rarely infects people and makes them sick; if it does, those with infections typically experience mild symptoms. Most cases in people have occurred after they were exposed to sick or infected animals. Person-to-person transmission has not been documented in the U.S.
The Washington resident, an older adult with underlying health conditions, was hospitalized in early November with a high fever, confusion and respiratory distress. They are currently being treated at a King County hospital and are “severely ill.”
Health officials said the patient has a mixed backyard flock of domestic poultry at home that was exposed to wild birds, and was likely exposed to the virus through domestic or wild birds.
Two of the backyard birds died from illness a few weeks ago, but the rest remain healthy.
Health agencies and hospitals have followed up with everyone who was in contact with the patient, monitored them for symptoms of influenza and tested those who did have symptoms, but no additional cases had been identified as of Friday.