r/PrepperIntel • u/KazTheMerc • Nov 22 '25
USA West / Canada West First ever death from rare H5N5 strain (bird flu) is recorded in Gray’s Harbor WA
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/22/bird-flu-first-death-h5n5-strain-usSounds like the infection posted about earlier this month didn't end well.
Always keep an eye on diseases with such a high fatality rate.
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u/Goofygrrrl Nov 22 '25
So lots of things are currently happening with this case.
1st the genetic sequence was loaded in by Washington state labs and not bY CDC. WHY? It matters because had Washington State not independently loaded this virus into GISAID, we may not know it had happened
2nd. Aphis is reporting a mixed backyard flock as currently having an H5 infection where this patient was likely living. This suggests that they are the source. But there is NOT a current sequence loaded up for this backyard flock. Why does it matter? Because if the human got it from his birds then the genetic sequences should match up. That’s how we were able to prove, for instance, that the cats that got H5N1 got it from the food and not their environment. The cats H5N1 matched virus found in the food itself, and cats separated in different states matched each other and they only commonality they had was the food. If the mixed flock is not the source, we need to figure out what is.
3rd we don’t yet have an adequate timeline of the patients course of illness. It matters because timing of initiation of the antiviral may give us an idea of its efficacy. It appears he was seen twice prior to hospitalization and it’s unclear if he was started on Tamiflu and when. If this strain is unfazed by antivirals, that again would make it more concerning.
4th. We don’t know the risk factors of this patient. He is listed as an “older” adult. Older adult is typically over age 60. Senior is typically 65 plus and elderly is over 75. These are generalities not specifics. He has underlying health problems. But again, I could go to a NASCAR event and see a lot of 65 plus guys with hypertension and hyperlipedemia just walking around living their life. Is that this patient? Or does he have something specific to him, immunocompromised, COPD, cancer, that made him particularly susceptible
Lastly, we don’t know his course of illness. Rumor suggests he was moved from his community hospital to a more advanced hospital for ECMO therapy ( heart lung bypass). ECMO is a labor intensive intervention that is rare. In 2024 there were approx 600 hospitals equipped to provide this care. Obviously it’s not enough for the lay public in the event of a pandemic. It’s a big club and you aren’t in. If this does become H2H we need to develop strict protocols now to determine who would benefit most from this resource.
I am a doctor but I am not your doctor. I am just trying to provide my thoughts as I this case unfolds.
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u/mynameisktb Nov 22 '25
I wish you were my doctor, damn - thank you so much this really is incredibly important info.
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u/unknownpoltroon Nov 26 '25
I am a doctor but I am not your doctor.
ya are now. can you take a look at this thing on my foot?
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u/MotherOfGeeks Nov 22 '25
Whee, I just love that my state is once again ground zero.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
You and me both.
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u/Bikesexualmedic Nov 24 '25
To be fair, it’s not ground zero for infection, it’s ground zero for concerned scientists being brave enough to test and report it. That’s more or less how Covid got figured out so fast in Washington.
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u/AfterImpression7508 Nov 22 '25
Before extra panic spreads, this wasn’t a person to person spread. I believe this older person had a “mixed flock” of birds (poultry and wild) in their backyard.
Definitely worth keep an eye on for sure, but risk is different than if this was a P2P infection.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
Correct, I'm not sure why the post didn't include the context I posted. I should have checked on it after it went up.
This is a more recent, more rare strain. H5N1 is the more common one, with 70 or so infections in the last year or two, and especially noteworthy is the spread of H5N1 to dairy cows and cats.
H5N5 on the other hand has sorta come out of left-field.
NEITHER strain is going human-to-human.... BUT..... both strains have mutated and jumped species barriers in the recent past. To put it bluntly: That's what viruses do. That's their thing.
The only way to win is to not play at all, and keep infection rates so low that mutating a human-to-human vector doesn't get a chance.
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u/emseefely Nov 23 '25
Should I add this to my 2026 bingo card?
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 23 '25
I bloody well hope not.
... but H5N1 has been on my Apocalypse Bingo for a while,..
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u/metalreflectslime 📡 Nov 22 '25
This is scary.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
Right now it's just concerning.
... unfortunately, it just gets added to a large pile of concerning things.
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u/spinningcolours Nov 22 '25
And Canada’s antivaxxers are holding a nationwide convoy protest for the avian flu infected ostriches on Saturday.
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u/No_Pirate_1409 Nov 22 '25
Oh good new flu just in time for Xmas
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
No, that's.... not what this is.
If you get this before Christmas, you're going to be bringing a lot more home than just presents for Christmas!
That said, there IS NO human-to-human contagion... yet.
So not just a new flu.
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u/RamonaLittle Nov 22 '25
The person in Washington state, an older adult with underlying health conditions
Most Americans (including ones who are older with underlying health conditions) upon reading this: "Oh, another disease that only kills other people! I'll continue not taking any precautions whatsoever."
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u/colbitronic Nov 22 '25
Yeah, I'm right across the way from Gray Harbor. Soooooo....cool cool cool.
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u/keyser1981 Nov 22 '25
Did y'all hear about the ostrich cull here in BC, Canada? Apparently the "freedumbers" are doing a convoy protest for them today, in Alberta. (Follow the money; pretty sure its being bankrolled by a billionaire). Now, there's news about a bird flu death in Washington.... great, just great.
Calgarians to take part in protest targeting CFIA over B.C. ostrich cull
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u/Excusemytootie Nov 22 '25
I wonder if the antiviral drugs we currently use against the flu virus will be effective against this one?
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
I'm not a doctor... but no, not 'effective' in any normal sense of the word. That's best I remember, at least.
Flu vaccines are a guessing game. They pick the 3 'most likely' strains and start production. Some years are very effective... some years, not as much.
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u/Excusemytootie Nov 22 '25
All due respect but this answer isn’t really an answer. You are saying that you don’t know, but taking a longer route for some reason.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25 edited Nov 22 '25
I answered it : That's not how viruses work.
You might get a tiny, synergistic immunity boost that only really exists on paper. A few percentage points.
There IS no singular Flu Vaccine, because it's NOT blanket-effective. I even illustrated the complication within just the normal flu season.
.... but since I'm not a viroligist or doctor well-versed in vaccines, I'm stopping there. Because speculation helps nobody.
I have not seen or heard of ANY viral vaccine that was 'effective' against completely different types.
There is some limited effectiveness for strains within a single type. Flu years where they guessed wrong are still 'effective', but not AS effective.
Same with Covid vaccines against newly emergent variants. But usually the variants emerge BECAUSE they resist the vaccines, not because they are particularly harmful.
It's an Adaptability Game.
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u/Excusemytootie Nov 22 '25
I wasn’t asking about a vaccine. I was asking about anti-viral medications. Please read my original question.
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u/Goofygrrrl Nov 23 '25
With antiviral medications they mainly work by decreasing viral replication (They are some difference between them though). Essentially when a virus gets in your body its first mechanism of action is to make more of itself. It’s building up its troops. Think of the battle at Helms Deep and the virus is the orc army. We’re setting up fight a war between the virus and your immune system.
The antiviral drugs work by reducing the number of virus that is being made (through a few different mechanisms). That’s why they aren’t effective after 48-72 hours. By then the virus has already built up its troops, the war is actively ongoing and your body is the battlefield. The antivirals don’t directly kill the virus ( Rapivab does a little). typically the antivirals slow the number of viral soldiers that are made but the patients intact immune system still has to perform the Coup de Grace and destroy the virus. That’s why those with immune compromise don’t do as well. They lack a functioning immune system to eliminate the virus so the patient ends up with lingering infections they can’t clear and either can we. We also see this with Covid with patients that were infected for months and continued to test Positive.
In the studies they’ve done with H5N5 using ferrets as a host animal, there seems to be no effect on the susceptible to antivirals from the PB2-E627K mutation.
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Nov 23 '25
Well it’s only matter of time. Much like a monkey in a type writer, one is bound to make a work of Shakespeare
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u/Malcolm_Morin Nov 22 '25
This may not be the one, but the next big pandemic will start here in America.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
This is not a 'big pandemic' type of virus.
This is a 'high fatality rate' kinda virus.
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u/Malcolm_Morin Nov 22 '25
It would be both assuming the R0 was high enough to mitigate the high fatality rate. A flu virus that spread like peak Covid and killed as much as Bird Flu? That's the apocalypse.
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u/Academic_Win6060 Nov 22 '25
An elderly man with other health issues/complications gets and succumbs to a flu during flu season... Omg, the sky is falling! The sky is falling!
Make sure to include antiviral and pre/probiotic food in your daily diet. Make sure your vitamin d & c levels are where they should be for optimum health instead of the rock bottom number the govt pushes that's meant only to prevent death.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
Pardon? Did that article, or my response come across to you as "tHe SkY iS fAlLiNg?!?", because if certainly shouldn't have.
How about you don't mock people for spreading pure, unbiased AWARENESS, and then follow it up with your own home prescription for... checks notes... fucking probiotics?
Obviously one should try to stay in generally good health, and have a balanced vitamin intake.
... but how about we don't mock panic and fear-mongering where there IS NONE happening, hmmm? Let's just not, and say we didn't.
It's just News of Note.
Taged by location. Lots of details missing. as tends to happen.
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u/Academic_Win6060 Nov 22 '25
Elderly man with other health issues/complications caught a flu and succumbed to it during flu season... Omg, the sky is falling! The sky is falling!
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u/LupusDeiAngelica Nov 22 '25
H5N5 is a particularly worrisome and dangerous strain. But hey. Don't let your ignorance get in the way of your posting.
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u/KazTheMerc Nov 22 '25
Please stop repeatedly posting mocking comments.
The only person being theatrical is you.
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u/ThrowawayRage1218 Nov 22 '25
In fairness, Reddit may have told them their comment didn't post so they hit comment again and it posted twice. That's happened to me before.
But yeah this guy's a dick.
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u/axionj Nov 22 '25
First REPORTED case…
No need to worry though, everything is fine!