California Declares State Of Emergency Amid Emerging Bird Flu Cases

Long Beach, CA - January 11: A multi-agency hazmat drill was held at CSULB, near the Walter Pyramid, the largest emergency drill ever organized in Long Beach on Thursday, January 11, 2024. The scenario was first responders providing emergency services to decontaminate casualties of hazmat attacks. Volunteers acted out various levels of contamination and illness.
(Photo by Brittany Murray/MediaNews Group/Long Beach Press-Telegram via Getty Images)

California is officially under a state of emergency due to emerging cases of the bird flu. 

This news comes a few hours after it was revealed that one person had been hospitalized in Louisiana with a severe case of bird flu. California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom made the order as a way to “streamline and expedite the state’s response to bird flu.” 

So far, California has recorded 33 of the 61 infectious cases. The bird flu was first detected in cows on dairy farms in Southern California. Raw Farm LLC, a Fresno-based company, has had two recalls after the bird flu was detected in samples of its raw milk. 

“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak. Building on California’s testing and monitoring system — the largest in the nation — we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information,” Gov. Newsom said in a statement.

No person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected in the state as of now. It’s been reported that all of the people who have been infected due to their exposed to infected cattle. Symptoms of the virus include cough, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, headaches, fatigue, fever, trouble breathing, eye redness or discharge, and runny or stuffy nose. 

We will keep you posted on this developing story.