California declares state of emergency over H5N1 virus in dairy cattle

Dec 18, 2024

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Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

California has declared a state of emergency after it reportedly has the country’s highest rate of H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, affecting dairy cattle. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a proclamation Wednesday, Dec. 18, to “further enhance the state’s preparedness and accelerate the ongoing cross-agency response efforts” to mitigate the spread of the virus.

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The state’s Department of Food and Agriculture is reporting 645 infected dairy herds. 311 of those detected are in the last 30 days. California is now experiencing more bird flu outbreaks in cattle than any other state.

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Newsom said, “This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need.”

The state of emergency follows a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which confirmed the first severe human case of bird flu in the U.S. The patient, hospitalized in Louisiana, caught H5N1.

However, the CDC notes that this particular genotype of the virus differs from the one currently found in dairy cattle.

While the source of the patient’s infection remains unclear, the CDC confirms the patient was in close proximity to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks.

To protect yourself, the CDC advises avoiding contact with sick or dead birds, particularly wild birds and poultry. The agency also warns against touching surfaces or materials contaminated with bodily fluids from birds or other animals suspected of being infected with avian influenza.

So far, there are 61 reports of human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. The CDC also states there have been no cases of person-to-person transmission of the virus. Pasteurized milk remains safe to consume.

Tags: Bird Flu, California, cattle, Gavin Newsom, Health

CALIFORNIA DECLARES A STATE OF EMERGENCY OVER THE H5N1 VIRUS, ALSO KNOWN AS BIRD FLU, IN DAIRY CATTLE. GOVERNOR GAVIN NEWSOM SIGNING A PROCLAMATION WEDNESDAY IN ORDER TO “FURTHER ENHANCE THE STATE’S PREPAREDNESS AND ACCELERATE THE ONGOING CROSS-AGENCY RESPONSE EFFORTS” TO HELP MITIGATE THE SPREAD OF THE VIRUS.

CALIFORNIA’S DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE REPORTS A TOTAL OF 645 INFECTED DAIRY HERDS WITH 311 DETECTED IN THE LAST 30 DAYS MORE THAN ANY OTHER STATE EXPERIENCING BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS AMONG CATTLE.

IN A STATEMENT, NEWSOM SAID “THIS PROCLAMATION IS A TARGETED ACTION TO ENSURE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE RESOURCES AND FLEXIBILITY THEY NEED.”

THE STATE OF EMERGENCY COMES JUST HOURS AFTER THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION CONFIRMED ITS FIRST SEVERE CASE OF BIRD FLU IN A HUMAN IN THE COUNTRY. THE PATIENT IS HOSPITALIZED IN LOUISIANA.

THE CDC SAYS THE PATIENT IS INFECTED WITH H5N1, HOWEVER, THIS PARTICULAR GENOTYPE IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE CURRENTLY DETECTED IN DAIRY CATTLE.

AND RIGHT NOW, THE SOURCE OF THIS PATIENT’S INFECTION IS UNCLEAR, HOWEVER, THE CDC CONFIRMS THE PATIENT HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO SICK AND DEAD BIRDS IN BACKYARD FLOCKS.

TO PROTECT YOURSELF, THE CDC SAYS TO AVOID CONTACT WITH SICK OR DEAD BIRDS, PARTICULARLY WILD BIRDS AND POULTRY.

AND DON’T TOUCH SURFACES OR MATERIALS CONTAMINATED WITH BODILY FLUIDS FROM BIRDS… OR OTHER ANIMALS CONFIRMED OR SUSPECTED OF BEING INFECTED WITH AVIAN INFLUENZA.

SO FAR, 61 HUMAN CASES OF H5 BIRD FLU HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE UNITED STATES.

THE CDC SAYS, SO FAR, THERE’S NOT BEEN ANY CASES OF PERSON-TO-PERSON SPREAD OF H5 BIRD FLU AND THAT PASTEURIZED MILK IS STILL SAFE TO CONSUME.