Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a State of Emergency to strengthen California’s response to the ongoing outbreak of Avian Influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as Bird Flu. The virus, recently detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, has now spread to 16 states since its initial appearance in Texas and Kansas in March 2024.
The emergency declaration aims to streamline the state’s response by granting agencies additional flexibility in staffing, contracting, and operational rules. “This proclamation ensures we can respond quickly and effectively to protect public health and our agriculture industry while keeping Californians informed,” said Newsom. He reassured residents that the risk of person-to-person transmission remains low, with nearly all human cases linked to direct exposure to infected cattle.
Coordinated Efforts to Contain the Virus
California has mobilized a cross-agency strategy involving the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and federal partners such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Efforts include:
- Distributing personal protective equipment (PPE) to high-risk farm workers.
- Enhancing public awareness through multilingual outreach and media campaigns.
- Expanding testing and monitoring systems—the largest in the nation—to track the virus’s spread.
- Offering seasonal flu vaccines to agriculture workers to reduce co-infection risks.
Bird Flu’s Impact and Timeline
The virus was first identified in U.S. wild birds in South Carolina in 2022 and reached California later that year. The March 2024 outbreak among dairy cows marked a significant shift, prompting widespread monitoring and containment efforts. By August, Bird Flu was confirmed in a Central California dairy cow, intensifying state and federal coordination.
To date, 61 human cases have been reported across seven states, including 34 in California, underscoring the urgency of ongoing containment measures.
