Why did California declare a state of emergency over bird flu? | Health News

California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday in response to growing concerns about bird flu cases in the state. Meanwhile, the country’s first serious case of the virus was reported the same day in Louisiana.

Here’s what we know about the virus so far and why it has become so serious.

Why did California declare a bird flu emergency?

Wednesday’s emergency declaration came after several more dairy cows in Southern California tested positive for the virus.

Newsom said declaring a state of emergency would provide funding to “streamline and accelerate” efforts to combat an outbreak.

Since bird flu was discovered on U.S. dairy farms in 2022, it has spread to hundreds of cattle herds in 16 U.S. states, causing infections in some dairy workers – all of which have been mild so far.

However, the first serious human illness from the H5N1 virus strain was reported in Louisiana on Wednesday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the 65-year-old, who was diagnosed with underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized and is in critical condition.

“CDC confirms the first serious case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States. “While an investigation into the source of infection is ongoing, it was determined that the patient had contact with sick and dead birds in backyard flocks,” the agency said.

The H5N1 strain was first discovered in the United States in March this year. Since then, 61 people in seven states have reportedly been infected with the virus. Most of them suffered only mild symptoms, 34 of whom are in California.

While detection of bird flu in humans has historically been rare, in recent years more and more people are testing positive for the virus, particularly in North America.

Prior to 2022, there were no reported human cases of bird flu at all in the United States. In 2022, only a single human case of bird flu was detected in the United States, and no human cases were detected in 2023.

On November 9, Canada reported its first human case of H5N1 in a teenager in the province of British Columbia.

What is bird flu?

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a virus that typically spreads among birds but can also affect humans and other animals, including dairy cows, seals, cats, dogs, foxes, skunks, tigers, leopards and farmed minks, according to the CDC. To date, there have been no cases of bird flu being transmitted from one person to another.

Bird flu has killed millions of birds worldwide and different strains have been detected in different regions.

It can be extremely dangerous for humans. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 860 people have been infected in 23 countries, including China, Egypt, Vietnam and Turkey, since the virus was first discovered in China nearly three decades ago. Of these, 463 people died from the virus, which corresponds to a huge mortality rate of 52 percent.

The virus became a global problem in 1996 when the H5N1 strain was first discovered in domestic waterfowl in southern China.

This was the first time that the virus was detected in humans. In Hong Kong, 18 people were reported infected, six of whom died.

Between 2003 and 2005, the H5N1 strain reemerged in China and spread to poultry in Africa, Europe and the Middle East.

Between 2014 and 2016, additional strains, including H5N6 and H5N8, emerged in birds in several parts of the world, including the United States. H7N3 was discovered in turkey farms in the United States in March 2020. Between 2020 and 2022, these variants spread among birds and cattle worldwide.

Between 2021 and 2023, the H5N1 virus spread among birds in the United States and Canada. Other strains were also detected in the USA during this time.

How is H5N1 different from other bird flu strains?

H5N1 is considered the most “pathogenic” of the bird flu strains, meaning it is more deadly to humans, with a fatality rate of about 60 percent.

Some other strains, such as the H7N9 strain, can also infect humans but tend to be milder. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), H7N9 has a mortality rate of 20 percent. This strain has previously been detected in China, Malaysia, Canada and Hong Kong. The cases discovered in Malaysia and Canada involved people who had traveled to those countries from China.

According to a 2006 study published by the NIH, the H5N1 virus is more deadly because it causes “massive inflammation” and impairs the immune system.

Both factors can lead to complications such as pneumonia or multi-organ failure, which are typical causes of death from H5N1.

What are the symptoms of bird flu?

In humans, symptoms of the virus, including the H5N1 strain, include:

• Redness of the eyes or conjunctivitis.
• Fever.
• Cough and sore throat.
• Runny or stuffy nose.
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• fatigue
• shortness of breath

How is bird flu transmitted to humans?

People can become infected with bird flu if the virus enters the body through the eyes, nose or mouth.

This happens when the virus circulates in the air in the form of dust or droplets and is inhaled by humans. According to the CDC, the virus can enter the air and soil when infected birds “shed” it through their saliva, mucus and feces.

The CDC also reports that there is no evidence that the virus spreads from people to other people.

Can you get bird flu from eating chicken?

The CDC recommends against eating undercooked or improperly cooked poultry.

It says there is no evidence that people in the United States have become infected with bird flu after eating properly cooked chicken or poultry. However, there are suspected cases in Southeast Asia in which people became infected with the virus after eating uncooked poultry and consuming poultry products such as blood.

How can you prevent bird flu?

By avoiding contact with animals and birds infected or suspected of being infected with bird flu.

The CDC recommends staying away from sick or dead wild birds and poultry and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) when contact with them is unavoidable. A bird that doesn’t appear to be sick could still have the virus, the CDC warns.

In the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) also advises that: “Markets where live birds are sold can also be a source of avian influenza.” Avoid visiting these markets if you are traveling to countries where bird flu has broken out.”

The CDC recommends against consuming raw milk or raw milk products—those that have not been pasteurized (a heating process that kills germs)—especially animals with confirmed or suspected avian influenza. Raw eggs should also be avoided.

Is there a vaccine?

There is no bird flu vaccine approved for humans. However, vaccines for birds and poultry are available and are used to control the spread of the disease.

The seasonal flu vaccine available in some countries does not protect against bird flu.

The CDC has reported that work is underway to develop a human vaccine against bird flu.

In July of this year, the US government allocated $176 million to Moderna, one of the manufacturers of the COVID vaccine, to develop a flu vaccine that would be effective against bird flu.