What we know
What we know: Washington state resident dies from bird flu following exposure to infected cattle
Compiled Nov 2
What we know
- A Yakima County, Washington resident died from complications of bird flu, the first such U.S. death in a year
- The person had previous health conditions and was exposed to avian influenza at a dairy with infected cattle
- The person was hospitalized before dying on Sunday
- The CDC said the person was infected with H5N1
- 33 dairy herds in Yakima County have recently tested positive for H5N1
- Three human infections in the county have been linked to exposure at a dairy
What we don’t know yet
- Yakima County officials did not release any additional details about the person who died
Open questions
- What specific previous health conditions did the person have?
- Who are the three people infected via dairy exposure in Yakima County?
- How many people are being monitored for close contact with the infected individuals?
- Will further genetic testing reveal any changes in the virus over time?
Drawn from the Associated Press report. “What we don’t know” lists only what the reporting itself flags as unresolved.