California dairy herds, bird flu and the state of emergency
Credit: USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service., Public Domain
Following an investigation by the US state of California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and rapid disease detection by California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System (CAHFS), the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) has confirmed H5N1 Bird Flu in 266 dairy farms in the last 30 days in California, as of mid-December.
Since California’s first detection of H5N1 Bird Flu in dairies, there have been a total of 650 infected dairies with 56 of those affected, fully recovered and released from quarantine. All quarantine released dairies will be placed on a surveillance list for weekly testing through creameries to maintain continued monitoring of the virus in California, the CDFA says. It is estimated that around three-quarters of all affected dairy herds in the US are in California.
State of emergency
Following the recent detections of Avian influenza A (H5N1) in dairy cattle within California, Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency. According to a statement from the governor’s office, “This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak.” The goal of the announcement is to boost the state’s preparedness for a quick response to the spread of this disease in California, according to the CDFA.
Public awareness plays a critical role in the state’s strategy. This includes regular public updates, multilingual outreach, and education on prevention. Newsom stated, “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
