Washington man dies after H5N5 infection: What it is and prevention tips explained

In a quiet county in Washington state’s seaside region, health authorities confirmed a grim milestone: a resident of Grays Harbor County has died after contracting H5N5 avian influenza , the first confirmed human infection of this subtype globally. The individual, an older adult with underlying health conditions who kept a backyard flock of domestic birds, developed severe illness and passed away. Environmental sampling found the virus present in the bird enclosure, suggesting that the exposure likely came from contact with domestic or wild birds. Though alarming, officials emphasise that risk to the general public remains low at this time as there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission and close contacts are being monitored but have not tested positive. Let’s unpack wh