CA Gov Declares Statewide Emergency Over Bird Flu

The Sacramento Bee reports:

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to rising cases of bird flu, the same day the U.S. Centers for Disease Control confirmed a person in Louisiana had been hospitalized with a ‘‘severe’’ case of the disease.

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom said in a statement. “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”

There have been 61 human H5N1 cases nationwide of avian flu since April, according to CDC data. Thirty-four cases are in California, mostly among agriculture workers exposed to infected cattle. More than 4 million chickens and turkeys have died since the illness began wreaking havoc on dairies and farms in 2022.

Read the full article. California’s is the first statewide bird flu declaration. Earlier this month the governors of Iowa and Colorado issued emergency declarations limited to several counties in each state. California has reportedly detected bird flu in over 600 dairy herds.

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency due to concerns over bird flu infections across the US. pic.twitter.com/eyOloAPsrw

— Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) December 18, 2024