California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in response to H5N1 cases in the state’s dairy cattle.
The action, aimed to streamline and expedite the state’s response to H5N1, 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.
The virus has spread in 16 states among dairy cattle, after its first confirmed detection in Texas and Kansas in March. California remains the state with the most poultry losses related to the virus in 2024. With these new cases, the state has now had 36 commercial flocks affected by H5N1 so far this year.
To date, no person-to-person spread of H5N1 has been detected in California and nearly all infected individuals had exposure to infected cattle. 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.
“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. “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.”
California has mobilized a comprehensive cross-agency response to H5N1 in dairy cattle and poultry farms to minimize farm worker exposures, reduce raw dairy product contamination, and mitigate the spread of the virus. The state has enlisted local, state and federal government technical and operational expertise to support all facets of the response; worked to educate the public, health professionals, employers and workers on prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of exposure to H5N1; provided comprehensive information for employers and workers on personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements; and distributed millions of pieces of PPE to high-risk workers at dairy farms.
California authorities have recalled raw milk and raw milk products from two companies in recent weeks due to H5N1 detection in the products.
