Health officials in the United States and worldwide are closely watching bird flu as winter flu season ramps up and new animal outbreaks are reported.

In the U.S., concern remains high after the recent death of a Washington state resident infected with H5N5, a subtype of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The World Health Organization reports this was the first known human H5N5 case anywhere in the world and the first U.S. bird flu death since a Louisiana H5N1 case earlier this year, though investigators have found no evidence of human‑to‑human transmission. WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to assess the overall public health risk as low, with most U.S. infections linked to close contact with infected birds.

On the animal side, new outbreaks are still emerging. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture confirmed yesterday that highly pathogenic H5N1 was detected in a backyard flock in Jackson County, triggering quarantine and biosecurity measures to protect nearby farms, according to Farm and Dairy. In Washington state, San Juan County Health and Community Services announced this week that a local backyard flock and a wild bird tested positive for avian influenza, and exposed residents are being monitored for symptoms.

According to the Pediatric Pandemic Network, H5N1 remains widespread in U.S. poultry and has previously affected more than a thousand dairy cattle herds, but new detections in livestock have declined, and federal officials deactivated the H5N1 emergency response in July. The Food and Drug Administration has confirmed that pasteurization inactivates H5N1 in milk, underscoring that the commercial milk supply remains safe.

Globally, the Pan American Health Organization reports that highly pathogenic H5N1 continues to circulate across the Americas, with multiple human infections in 2025 in the U.S. and Mexico, all associated with animal exposure. International agencies stress that while sporadic human cases are expected, there is still no sustained person‑to‑person spread.

Health experts interviewed by Texas Public Radio warn that overlap between seasonal flu in humans and ongoing bird flu in animals increases the chance for viral mixing, and they urge vaccination against seasonal flu, strict farm biosecurity, and avoiding contact with sick or dead birds or raw milk.

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