Governor Newsom declares a state of emergency in California due to bird flu

California Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency due to the H5N1 virus, commonly known as avian influenza or bird flu.

The state of emergency follows an outbreak of the virus among dairy cows on Southern California farms, according to a press release on the governor’s website.

After initially being reported in Texas and Kansas in March, bird flu has been confirmed in cattle in 16 US states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

The statement stated that there were no cases of bird flu transmission between humans in California, as all cases of infection are linked to exposure to infected livestock.

“This announcement is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to quickly respond to this outbreak,” Governor Newsom said in a statement.

He continued: “Building on California’s testing and surveillance system – the largest in the country – we are committed to continuing to protect public health, support our agricultural industry, and ensure Californians have accurate and 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.”

Also on Wednesday, the first case of severe bird flu in a human patient was confirmed in Louisiana, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The health agency stresses that “the current risks to public health are low,” but said it is “carefully monitoring the situation.”