Health Officer Update: H5N5 bird flu in Washington
- tadsooter
- 21 hours ago
- 2 min read
Dr. Herbie Duber is interim health officer for Kitsap Public Health District. In addition to his work in public health, Dr. Duber serves as a professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Washington and an attending physician at UW Medical Center and and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Hello and welcome to the Health Officer Update for December. This month, I want to talk about a recent case of avian influenza (bird flu).
A case of H5N5-type avian influenza was detected in a Grays Harbor County resident in November, according to the Washington State Department of Health. The individual later passed away from the illness.
I want to emphasize that the risk to the public from avian influenza remains very low. There is no evidence of person-to-person transmission in the United States.
H5 avian flu is an influenza A virus that is being spread globally by wild birds. Wild birds can transmit the virus to domesticated birds, like chickens and ducks, and other animals, including livestock. The risk of transmission increases during the fall and winter, as wild birds migrate through our region.
Humans can get the virus from having frequent contact with infected animals or their surroundings. Human cases are rare and have mostly occurred among people who work with infected poultry or dairy cows.
The H5N5 variant of the H5 virus had previously been detected in animals. The Grays Harbor County case was the first reported human case.
The person who was infected in Grays Harbor County owned a backyard flock of mixed poultry, which is a major risk factor for getting avian influenza. This person was also older and had underlying health issues, which increase the risk of poor health outcomes from any illness.
We sent an advisory to Kitsap healthcare providers last week with information about screening and testing for avian flu.
Everyone can take steps to help prevent avian influenza. Please:
Do not touch dead or sick animals.
Do not eat or drink raw milk products.
If you have a backyard poultry flock, be aware that migratory birds in the fall and winter increase the risk of spreading avian influenza to domestic animals. Find more tips for protecting your flock.
You can watch my full December report to the Kitsap Public Health Board in the video below or on Vimeo.
More Resources
Have a question for our health officer? Send an email pio@kitsappublichealth.org or call 360-728-2330.
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