The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, has declared a state of emergency to combat the spread of bird flu among dairy cattle in the United States.
The declaration highlights the growing concern over the outbreak, with California now serving as the epicentre of the nation’s crisis in cattle. In the past 30 days, more than 300 dairy herds in California have tested positive for the virus.
Governor Newsom explained that the detection of cases in dairy cows on farms in Southern California necessitates expanded monitoring and a more coordinated response at the state level.
“This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need,” the governor stated. “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 currently responsible for about half of the known human infections in the United States. While there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission in California or elsewhere in the country, scientists caution that the unchecked spread of the virus in dairy cattle raises the risk of spillover into humans, potentially allowing the virus to acquire dangerous mutations.
