California becomes first state to declare bird flu emergency

California declared a statewide emergency for the H5N1 virus, commonly known as bird flu. Governor Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement that "conditions of extreme peril to the safety of persons and property" led him to declare an emergency in one of the country's largest milk-producing states.

The emergency has to do with an outbreak of the virus among dairy cows on farms in Southern California, although it had already begun to spread in other parts of the Golden State. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu has already spread among cattle in 16 states.

"Local authority is inadequate to cope with the magnitude of the damage caused by 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," the Democratic governor added.

Politico reported that as many as 34 people have been infected with bird flu in California since March of this year. The CDC reported on Wednesday the first "severe" case of bird flu in a person. However, the CDC specified that the virus has not become endemic in the country and that there have been no cases of human-to-human transmission.

"Building on California's testing and monitoring system - the largest in the nation - we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agricultural industry and ensuring Californians have access to accurate and 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," Newsom concluded. His office noted that all avian flu cases occurred in people exposed to infected livestock.

What is the avian flu?

According to the CDC website, avian influenza is caused by influenza A virus infections and "is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in poultry and U.S. dairy cows with several recent human cases in U.S. dairy and poultry workers."

"While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures," they added.