A Grays Harbor resident who was hospitalized with influenza symptoms in early November has been confirmed to have influenza A H5, a type of avian influenza. Additional testing shows the virus to be H5N5, an avian influenza virus that has previously been reported in animals but never before in humans. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and DOH currently consider the risk to the public from avian influenza to be low.

A woman in Falun, Dalarna, became infected with cowpox after her cat fell ill and was euthanized—reportedly the first known case in Dalarna. She was on sick leave for a month and is sharing her story to warn others about this rare zoonotic infection.