California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency over the bird flu outbreak across many states.
Declaring a state of emergency will expedite the state’s response to bird flu, according to Newsom’s office.
Driving the news: Bird flu has spread to dairy cattle across 16 states since it was first detected in March.
- There have not been any cases of person-to-person spread in California.
- California has reported 34 human cases of bird flu, while there are 61 cases in total across the nation
- The first severe illness came in Louisiana on Wednesday when a patient had to be hospitalized. All other reported cases have had mild symptoms.
The big picture: State and local agencies will have additional flexibility with staffing, contracting and other rules to support their response to bird flu.
- California has already provided information to employers and workers on personal protective equipment requirements and has distributed millions of pieces of personal protective equipment to high-risk workers at dairy farms.
- The state has also provided 5,000 additional doses of the seasonal flu vaccine for agriculture workers.
State of play: The California Department of Public Health provides updates to the bird flu situation on its website, where it states that the current risk to the public remains low.
What they’re saying: Newsom said the declaration is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to the 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,” 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.”
- New Asm. Alexandra Macedo (R–Tulare) blamed Newsom for not protecting Californians against bird flu.
- “The Newsom Administration failed to enforce and fund basic standards to properly secure our borders at the state’s highways. Had the Newsom administration adequately funded inspection checkpoints for testing verification, vaccination records and branding paperwork – this Bird Flu may have been prevented,” Macedo said in a statement. “The Governor chooses to fund special interest projects rather than protecting our farmers and farm workers. Farmers and their workers have suffered enough. The price of milk, dairy products and eggs have skyrocketed for consumers because of his inaction.”
