California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency over avian influenza, saying that the order was issued as a precaution.
It comes as a person in Louisiana has been hospitalized with the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the United States, health officials separately said on Wednesday. The patient is in critical condition with severe respiratory symptoms, authorities have said.
“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 about the emergency.
Bird flu cases were found in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, his office said, adding that there needs to be enhanced monitoring to “contain and mitigate the spread of the virus.”…