Official reports from California Department of Public Health or news outlets

California Gov. Newsom Declares Emergency Over H5N1 Bird Flu, Citing Southern California Cases

Dec 18, 2024, 07:48 PM

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency in response to the H5N1 bird flu outbreak. The proclamation was issued due to growing concerns over bird flu cases in the state and across the country, following the detection of more cases in Southern California dairy cows. The emergency action aims to ensure that government agencies have the necessary resources and flexibility to respond quickly to the outbreak. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the first severe illness in a person due to bird flu from a case in Louisiana. While there have been no recorded cases of person-to-person spread of bird flu in California, the state has seen 34 out of the 61 total human cases reported across 16 states in the U.S. California has implemented measures to combat bird flu by working with dairy and poultry farms to minimize farm worker exposure, and one California raw milk dairy issued a voluntary recall after bird flu was detected in a lot. Governor Newsom emphasized that while the risk to the public remains low, the state will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus.