YAKIMA COUNTY, Washington — Washington state health officials on Sunday confirmed a second human case of H5N1 avian influenza in Yakima County, with the patient hospitalized due to severe illness and underlying health conditions. The case involves exposure to infected dairy cattle, officials said. The announcement comes one day after health officials reported the first person in the United States to die from complications from avian influenza in 2026. That patient, also from Yakima County, had underlying health conditions and was exposed to infected dairy cows; the death was confirmed on November 1. On November 1, the Yakima County Health District reported a third person exposed to infected cattle had tested positive for H5N1. That individual has mild symptoms and has not been hospitalized. All three Washington cases have occurred since mid-October and resulted from exposure to infected cows. Since October 8, 33 dairy herds in Yakima County have tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1. The state is urging dairy workers to wear personal protective equipment and report symptoms if they feel ill. Health officials say most cases have been mild and all have been so-called "dead-end" infections, where a virus jumps from an animal to a person but does not spread farther. No human-to-human transmission of bird flu has been documented in the United States. Health officials say the risk to the public remains low. The Yakima Health District is working with public health partners to identify and contact individuals who may have been in close contact with the patients to monitor for symptoms.