Washington Resident Dies of Bird Flu in 2026

State health officials in Washington announced Sunday that a Yakima County resident has died from avian flu after being exposed at a dairy where cattle were infected. The Yakima Health District says the person had underlying health conditions, and officials say the danger to the general public is still low. The Washington Examiner reports it is the first US bird flu death of 2026 and the third recorded US death credited to H5 bird flu. Daily Mail, citing the CDC, counts 73 human bird flu infections in the US since the start of 2024. Our thoughts are with this person's family and loved ones. Dairy families and ranchers know how hard a sick herd can hit, and they deserve plain information and real support from the agencies in charge.