The recent death of two Olympic Peninsula cougars is the highest profile example of the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the state’s wildlife, …
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The recent death of two Olympic Peninsula cougars is the highest profile example of the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the state’s wildlife, according to biologists with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
How dangerous is that for humans?
In May 2022, the first case of avian influenza in Washington was identified in a backyard flock. The first human cases of avian influenza in Washington were reported in October 2024. As of Nov. 6, the state department of health reported 11 confirmed cases and three probable cases of human avian flu in state residents.
All the exposures were from poultry, according to state documents.
The state department of health reports that East Jefferson County is not currently in an HPAI control or infection zone.
Avian influenza viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds and can infect poultry and other animal species through saliva, nasal secretions, feces, and contaminated surfaces. Bird flu viruses are not easily transmissible from birds to people, but without proper hygiene, or if in prolonged contact with a sick bird, the risk increases.
While it is unlikely that hunters or people feeding wild birds will contract HPAI viruses, WDFW officials say hunters and outdoors people should take steps to ensure all equipment (boots, clothes, vehicles, firearms) are cleaned and disinfected to prevent spreading diseases from one area to another; wear disposable gloves when cleaning harvested birds or bird feeders; do not harvest or handle wild birds that are obviously sick or found dead; do not eat, drink, or smoke while cleaning game; and wash tools and work surfaces used to clean game birds with soap and water, then disinfect with a 10% bleach solution.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains a web map detailing confirmed wild mammal HPAI cases in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as HPAI viruses continue to evolve, other mammals may become infected, although the CDC maintains that the risk of HPAI H5N1 being transmitted to humans is low.
