What to Know About Bird Flu Risk After Californias Emergency Declaration

California has declared a state of emergency over the outbreak of bird flu among dairy cows.H5N1, the virus that causes avian influenza, has been found in 645 dairies in California since August.Infected herds have also been identified in 15 other states.

Here’s what we know, and don’t know, about the risk to human health right now.Does this mean I need to worry about bird flu now?Gov.Gavin Newsom of California said in a statement that the declaration was “a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak.”The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reiterated on Wednesday that H5N1 bird flu poses a low risk to the public’s health overall.

And Michael Osterholm, an infectious disease expert at the University of Minnesota, agreed with that assessment.The main concern in California, he said, is the rapid spread of the virus between dairy farms.Still, some people are at higher risk of infection because they are exposed to animals that spread the virus.

People who work closely with animals, like dairy farm workers, are particularly susceptible and should wear personal protective equipment like masks, gloves and safety goggles, said Stacey L.Schultz-Cherry, a virologist and influenza expert at St.

Jude Children’s Research Hospital.There have been 61 human cases of bird flu reported in the United States so far this year, including 37 cases linked to exposure to infected cattle.The majority of these patients have had mild disease, with symptoms including pink eye, fever and muscle ache.On Wednesday, the C.D.C.

confirmed the first severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the country: a patient in Louisiana, who was hospitalized after being exposed to backyard flocks.The patient was infected with a version of the virus that has been found in birds, not the one that is spreading in cows.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings...