California Declares State of Emergency Over Bird Flu

The Golden State has issued a red alert.

Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California on Wednesday, citing it as a “proactive” solution.

The reason for such a bold move from the embattled governor?

Newsom made the drastic call “to streamline and expedite the state’s response to Avian influenza A (H5N1), commonly known as ‘Bird Flu.’”

“This action comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, signaling the need to further expand monitoring and build on the coordinated statewide approach to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus,” Newsom’s Wednesday release read.

“To date, no person-to-person spread of Bird Flu has been detected in California, and nearly all infected individuals had exposure to infected cattle,” the release continued. “California has already established the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation to respond to the outbreak.

“This emergency proclamation will provide state and local agencies with additional flexibility around staffing, contracting, and other rules to support California’s evolving response.”

According to the County of Los Angeles Public Health Department, potential symptoms of the “bird flu” include:

• Cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue
• Fever* or feeling febrile
• Eye redness (or conjunctivitis)
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Diarrhea, nausea, vomiting

L.A. county also noted, however, that “infection with influenza viruses, including novel influenza A viruses, does not always cause fever.

“Fever may not occur in infected persons of any age, particularly in persons aged 65 years and older or people with immunosuppression. The absence of fever should not supersede clinical judgment when evaluating a patient for illness compatible with novel influenza A virus infection.”

Newsom further elaborated on the emergency declaration: “This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this 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.

“While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”

The declaration has not gone over well with the masses.

In some places, like social media, the usual critics are roasting Newsom.

JUST IN: Governor Gavin Newsom just issued a state of emergency in California in response to concerns over bird flu reports.

Newsom stated that he will “take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus”

It’s COVID all over again. pic.twitter.com/iQSVaslvnB

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) December 18, 2024

Other places, like the U.K.’s Daily Mail, outright called Newsom’s move a “chilling echo of [COVID-19] dark days.”

According to CBS News, more than half of the recorded bird flu diagnoses in humans in America have come from California. The illness has spread to 16 states so far.

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