A Yakima County, Washington, resident exposed to infected cattle at a dairy has died after being hospitalized with severe avian influenza, local health officials announced Nov. 1, 2026. The person had underlying health conditions and has not been publicly identified. It is the first U.S. death from bird flu this year. The CDC announced the first U.S. death from the virus in January 2025.
The Yakima Health District, working with the Washington State Department of Health, also reported a third confirmed human case in the county. That person was exposed to infected dairy cattle at a Yakima County dairy and has not become severely ill or been hospitalized. Officials are contacting close contacts of the fatal case and the third case to monitor them for symptoms. Health Officer Dr. Dave Atteberry called the death “serious and heartbreaking” but said the risk to the general public remains low. Human-to-human transmission of avian influenza has never been documented in the United States.
Washington’s Dairy Outbreak Has Grown Quickly
Washington confirmed its first-ever cattle detections on two Yakima County farms on Oct. 8. As of Nov. 2, the state had confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in 40 dairy herds, 39 in Yakima County and one in Benton County, according to the Biothreats Emergence, Analysis, and Communications Network (BEACON). The daily peak came on Oct. 23, when 17 herds were confirmed. Sequencing from two Yakima County farms identified the genotype B3.13, which has circulated among U.S. dairy cattle since spring 2024.
Indiana Reports Its First Dairy Cattle Detections
On Nov. 2, USDA announced the first detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 genotype B3.13 in a dairy herd in Indiana, a state with no previous cattle cases. The Indiana State Board of Animal Health identified the virus in two operationally connected herds in Newton County, about 115 miles northwest of Indianapolis, in late October. USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the detection by PCR.
Both detections came from routine National Milk Testing Strategy surveillance, not from pre-movement testing, and one positive signal originated at a dairy processing facility in another state. As of Nov. 3, no other Indiana herds had tested positive. The state has set up a control area and surveillance zone in Newton County around the two affected premises.
USDA now requires a negative H5N1 test for all lactating dairy cows, including dairy-beef crosses, before they leave Indiana. A voluntary Dairy Herd Status Program is available for farms that ship across state lines frequently.
Sources and further reading:
HPAI (H5N1) genotype B3.13 detected in two dairy herds in Indiana, USA — BEACON
Washington state resident dies from ‘severe illness’ after contracting bird flu — The Guardian
US has its first human death this season connected to bird flu as virus spreads across nation — The Independent
USDA Confirms Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a Dairy Herd in Indiana — USDA APHIS
This article was researched and sourced by Global Biodefense editors and reported with Claude AI assistance for drafting and editing.