California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday proclaimed a state of emergency to respond to concerns with the bird flu virus.
Avian influenza A, or H5N1, also known as bird flu, has been detected in the state and 15 others across the nation, according to Newsom’s office.
By declaring a state of emergency, Newsom said the state can streamline and expedite its response.
“This action comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, signaling the need to further expand monitoring and build on the coordinated statewide approach to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus,” said Newsom’s office.
To date, no person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in California and most infected individuals had exposure to infected cattle, according to the governor. California has already established the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation to respond to the outbreak, he said.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak. Building on California’s testing and monitoring system — the largest in the nation — we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information,” said Newsom in a statement on Wednesday. “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
Newsom said much of the focus will be on cattle and dairy farms.
Last month, a raw milk producer in Fresno had its product pulled from shelves after bird flu was detected in Raw Farm’s cream top, whole raw milk. In Marin County earlier this month, health officials suspected bird flu virus was the cause of a child getting sick with vomiting and fever after consuming raw milk.
According to authorities, there have been 32 confirmed cases of bird flu in California this year. Most bird flu detections in the U.S. have been in poultry and dairy workers who were exposed to sick animals, health officials said.
