Washington resident dies in first confirmed human case of H5N5 bird flu

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - A Washington resident undergoing treatment for H5N5 avian influenza died, the state's health department said, marking the first confirmed human case of this variant worldwide.

The individual was an older adult with underlying health issues and had been receiving hospital care in King County since early November, the department said in a Friday statement, stressing that the person in question "had a backyard flock of mixed domestic birds."

"Testing at the UW Medicine Clinical Virology Lab identified the virus as H5N5, making this the first recorded infection with this variant in a person globally.

"The result was confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)," it said.

Public health authorities say the overall risk remains low, and no additional individuals associated with the case have tested positive for avian influenza. Officials continue to monitor those in close contact with the patient for symptoms to rule out person-to-person spread.

"There is no evidence of transmission of this virus between people," the department added.