YAKIMA COUNTY, Wash. — A Yakima County resident who was hospitalized with a severe illness after contracting avian influenza following exposure at a dairy with infected cattle has died, the Yakima Health District said.In a news release issued on Sunday, the health district said the person died “today” from complications of avian influenza, also known as bird flu. The health district said the victim had underlying health conditions. “Out of respect for the family’s privacy,” the district said it is not releasing the person’s name, gender or age.Health officials said the risk of avian influenza infection to the general public remains low, but noted that people at greater risk include dairy workers and others who have close or prolonged contact with infected animals or environments contaminated with the virus. The health district said transmission of avian influenza between humans is “extremely rare” and “has never been documented in the United States.”Public health officials are continuing to monitor people who had close contact with the patient for symptoms, the district said.In the same release, the Yakima Health District also reported a third confirmed human case of avian influenza in a resident exposed to infected dairy cattle at a Yakima County dairy. The district said that person has not experienced severe illness and has not been hospitalized.The health district said it is working with public health partners to identify and contact people who may have been in close contact with the individual to monitor for symptoms.Governor Bob Ferguson said he was being briefed on the situation and that his team is in close coordination with public health and agriculture officials. Ferguson said workers at affected farms are advised to take safety precautions, but the risk to the public remains low.
