CALIFORNIA, USA — California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to bird flu.
According to his office, it comes after cases were detected on farms in Southern California.
The declaration is expected to help streamline and expedite the state’s response.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” wrote Newsom. “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. While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
Newsom’s office says the state has already mobilized response to bird flu in dairy cattle and poultry farms to minimize exposure to farm workers, reduce raw dairy contamination and slow the spread of bird flu.
Bird flu was first detected in California’s wild bird population in July 2022. It was later found in a dairy cow in Central California at the end of August 2024.
There’s been more than 60 confirmed cases of bird flu in humans in the U.S., and California has 34 reported cases. Health officials say there is no evidence the virus is being spread between humans.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Wednesday confirmed the first human case linked to backyard flocks in Louisiana.
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