Washington state health authorities reported having identified the first human case of bird flu in the country since February, pending the results of confirmatory tests.
A resident of Grays Harbor County, Washington, tested positive for the infection in a preliminary test, the Washington State Department of Health reported Thursday. Health authorities indicated that they continue to investigate the origin of the infection, including possible contact with wild or domestic birds.
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The patient is an older adult with pre-existing conditions, state health officials said. He developed a high fever, confusion, and difficulty breathing, and was hospitalized in early November. His treatment continues.
As of August 4, 26 cases of bird flu in humans have been confirmed worldwide so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Most of them, 23, were detected outside the United States, and 11 people died. The nine-month span without new cases in the United States has baffled health experts monitoring the spread of the virus.
In 2024 and early 2025, 70 cases of bird flu were reported in the United States, most of them in dairy and poultry farm workers. One person died, but most of those infected had mild symptoms.
Although there have been no human cases of infection in the United States in months, cases of avian flu have recently occurred in poultry and livestock.
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In the past month, bird flu infections have been detected at nearly 70 U.S. poultry farms — both commercial and home — with more than 1.7 million birds affected, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The last confirmed case in cattle was reported about a month ago in dairy cows in Idaho, according to the USDA.
CDC considers the risk to the general public to be low, although it is higher for people who work with livestock and poultry or have contact with wild birds.
