A man is currently in critical condition due to a novel virus that has not previously been identified in humans but is known to exist in animals.
The individual was admitted to the hospital earlier this month exhibiting symptoms such as a high fever, confusion, and respiratory distress. Subsequent tests confirmed that he had contracted H5N5, a subtype of avian influenza, commonly referred to as bird flu, typically found in ducks, geese, and other wild birds.
As of last week, the man was still receiving medical care in the hospital, while authorities continue to investigate the origins of his illness. No other cases of the H5N5 strain have been reported among individuals.
According to the Washington State Department of Health, the patient is an older individual with underlying health issues. He also owned a variety of domestic poultry on his property located in Grays Harbour County, in the southwestern part of the United States, where wild birds could potentially have come into contact with his birds, serving as the likely source of the virus.
Although there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission, experts caution that the behavior of viruses can be unpredictable over time. While H5N1 is a more prevalent strain in the U.S., occurrences of H5N5 are considered rare, with a distinct protein on the virus’s surface setting it apart from other strains.
H5N1 infections have been observed in both wild birds and domestic poultry since 2022. In the past year, there have been 71 documented cases of H5 bird flu among humans in the U.S., with most cases exhibiting mild symptoms. Tragically, a patient from Louisiana succumbed to the illness in January. In contrast, the United Kingdom recorded 81 cases of bird flu during the same period.
Confirmed cases of bird flu have been reported in various regions across the UK, including Cumbria, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Scotland, and Wales. Symptoms of bird flu commonly include a high fever, cough, sore throat, and body aches.