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.”
California is the first to declare a statewide emergency, though Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a targeted “disaster” alert in July after officials there detected an outbreak at a Weld County egg plant.
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.
The state of emergency will allow state agencies to shift from a regional response to statewide testing and disease surveillance, according to a copy of the executive order.
The state Department of Public Health has distributed personal protective gear to dairy workers, and encourages people six months of age and older to receive updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines to minimize the chance of contracting human and bird flu illnesses.
The state Department of Public Health said as of Friday there have been no reported cases of one person spreading the illness to another person.
The agency began recalling gallons of raw milk last month after reporting that nearly a quarter of the state’s 1,100 dairies were being quarantined for the diseases. People should avoid consuming raw milk products and instead use pasteurized milk.