California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) proclaimed a state of emergency to “streamline and expedite” the state’s response to bird flu.
“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. “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. While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
According to the proclamation, all California residents are to “obey the direction of emergency officials with regard to this emergency in order to protect their safety.”
In November, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed the state’s first-ever U.S. case of avian influenza A(H5N1) in a child residing in California.
The child experienced mild symptoms and is recovering after receiving treatment with antiviral medication. Initial testing showed low levels of the H5N1 virus, but subsequent tests found no trace of the bird flu. Instead, the child tested positive for other common respiratory viruses, indicating a possible mixed infection, according to the CDC.
The CDC also announced the first case of “severe” bird flu in Louisiana.
“While an investigation into the source of the infection in Louisiana is ongoing, it has been determined that the patient had exposure to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks,” the CDC explained. “This is the first case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. that has been linked to exposure to a backyard flock.”
The agency noted that the public’s health risk from bird flu “remains low.”
