California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency due to H5N1, more commonly known as avian influenza or bird flu.
The emergency follows an outbreak of the virus among dairy cows in Southern California farms, according to the news release on the governor’s website.
After initially being reported in Texas and Kansas in March, bird flu has been confirmed in cattle across 16 U.S. states, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported.
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There have been no cases of human transmission of bird flu in California, the release stated, with all infections linked to exposure to infected cattle.
"This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak," Newsom said in a statement.
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"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," he continued.
"While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus."
Also on Wednesday, the first case of severe bird flu was confirmed in a human patient in Louisiana, according to the CDC.
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The health agency maintains that "the current public health risk is low," but said it is "watching the situation carefully."
