California announces state of emergency due to virus outbreak
Governor Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency following the discovery of new H5N1 bird flu virus cases in California's dairy herds. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency as new cases of the H5N1 avian influenza virus have been identified in dairy cows in Southern California. He emphasized that the risk to the general public remains low.
Since March, the virus has been spreading among US dairy cattle herds, impacting at least 16 states. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported no confirmed human-to-human transmission, there have been at least 61 human cases identified nationwide, with 34 occurring in California.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure that government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom stated on Wednesday. “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
The H5N1 virus poses a significant threat regarding potential human infections. The World Health Organization has documented over 860 confirmed cases since 2003, with approximately 53 percent resulting in fatalities.
Thus far, there have been no reported deaths in the US related to the current outbreak, which began in 2022 among poultry farms, resulting in the culling of over 100 million birds to control the disease's spread. California is the first state to declare a state of emergency; however, Colorado issued a targeted “disaster” alert back in July.
Newsom's declaration comes in response to the identification of new infections on dairy farms in Southern California. The state has already launched measures to address bird flu by collaborating with dairy and poultry farms to reduce employee exposure, as most cases are linked to workers in those sectors.
On Wednesday, the CDC confirmed the first instance of severe illness in a person due to bird flu, stemming from a case in Louisiana. The patient had reportedly been in close contact with sick and deceased birds from a backyard flock.
The Food and Drug Administration has reassured consumers that beef and dairy products available in grocery stores are safe to eat, although it has advised against consuming raw milk.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
Since March, the virus has been spreading among US dairy cattle herds, impacting at least 16 states. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported no confirmed human-to-human transmission, there have been at least 61 human cases identified nationwide, with 34 occurring in California.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure that government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak,” Newsom stated on Wednesday. “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
The H5N1 virus poses a significant threat regarding potential human infections. The World Health Organization has documented over 860 confirmed cases since 2003, with approximately 53 percent resulting in fatalities.
Thus far, there have been no reported deaths in the US related to the current outbreak, which began in 2022 among poultry farms, resulting in the culling of over 100 million birds to control the disease's spread. California is the first state to declare a state of emergency; however, Colorado issued a targeted “disaster” alert back in July.
Newsom's declaration comes in response to the identification of new infections on dairy farms in Southern California. The state has already launched measures to address bird flu by collaborating with dairy and poultry farms to reduce employee exposure, as most cases are linked to workers in those sectors.
On Wednesday, the CDC confirmed the first instance of severe illness in a person due to bird flu, stemming from a case in Louisiana. The patient had reportedly been in close contact with sick and deceased birds from a backyard flock.
The Food and Drug Administration has reassured consumers that beef and dairy products available in grocery stores are safe to eat, although it has advised against consuming raw milk.
Thomas Evans contributed to this report for TROIB News
