A Washington resident died from bird flu
A Yakima County, Washington, resident with underlying health conditions has died from severe bird flu after exposure to infected cattle at a dairy, local health officials said Nov. 1. It is the first U.S. bird flu death of 2026 and the third since 2024. Officials are monitoring close contacts; three human cases have been confirmed in the county.
More context
A Yakima County, Washington, resident has died after contracting severe bird flu following contact with infected dairy cattle, according to a Nov. 1 announcement by local health officials. The person was hospitalized, had underlying health conditions and has not been publicly identified. No other U.S. bird flu fatalities have been recorded in 2026; the two earlier U.S. deaths occurred in 2025, according to Discover Magazine and AgDaily.
Officials also reported a third confirmed human case in Yakima County, involving exposure to infected dairy cattle. That person was not severely ill or hospitalized. The Yakima Health District and Washington State Department of Health are contacting close contacts of both the fatal and third cases to monitor them for symptoms. Health Officer Dr. Dave Atteberry called the death “serious and heartbreaking.”
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Reporting
- ABC7 New York — What to know after Washington state resident dies of bird flu after being exposed to infected cattle - ABC7 New York
- agdaily.com — Yakima County Resident Dies After Contracting Bird Flu
- chronline.com — Washington state records first bird flu death of 2026
- globalbiodefense.com — Bird Flu Kills Yakima County Resident Exposed at Dairy, First U.S. Death This Year
- discovermagazine.com — First U.S. Bird Flu Death of 2026 Confirmed Following Washington Resident's Exposure to Infected Dairy Cows | Discover Magazine
- fox13seattle.com — Yakima, WA resident dies from bird flu after exposure to infected cattle
Verifier’s note
AG Daily, The Chronicle, Global Biodefense, Discover Magazine, FOX 13 Seattle, and ABC7 New York report that a Yakima County resident died of bird flu after exposure to infected cattle. The coverage dates to Nov. 3–4 and identifies it as the first U.S. bird-flu death of 2026.