Sacramento, December 26 (IANS). Cases of avian influenza A (H5N1) virus are continuously increasing in California, USA.
Bird flu has affected 659 of 984 dairies since August, according to California officials. One-fourth of these cases were reported in the last month alone.
According to Xinhua news agency, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency last week due to the virus spreading rapidly in the state’s dairy industry.
California Governor Newsom said in a statement, “This will ensure that government agencies have the resources they need to respond to this unprecedented situation so that they can respond quickly to the situation.”
According to the latest report from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released on Tuesday, the human impact of this epidemic is becoming increasingly severe, and 36 such cases have been confirmed in California. That’s more than half of the country’s total of 65 cases, though the actual number is likely higher because recently confirmed cases locally have not yet been added to federal statistics.
Two new cases were confirmed Monday in Los Angeles County and Stanislaus County, California. According to the health departments of both counties, both men were exposed to animals infected with bird flu at their workplace. Both individuals had mild symptoms of the virus and were treated with antiviral drugs.
Let us tell you that to control this virus, health officials are monitoring waste water throughout the state of California. The virus is being detected in several areas, including San Francisco, Napa and San Jose. However, California State Epidemiologist Erica Pan told ABC30 that the main cause of these cases may initially be due to “dumping domestic or other commercial milk down the sink.”
Although health officials said the risk to the general public is low, the virus can kill 90 to 100 percent of infected chickens and 1 to 2 percent of cows. California state veterinarian Annette M. Jones said infected cows may never fully recover.
California, the country’s largest dairy producing state, is facing huge economic losses due to the bird flu outbreak. Officials said 1.7 million cows are now being tested every week in the state.
California milk production in November dropped 9.2 percent from a year earlier, the largest decline ever, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports. This reduced national milk production by 1 percent and affected the availability and prices of American dairy products.
The state’s poultry industry has also suffered losses. The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that 51 commercial poultry farms and 9 domestic poultry farms were affected across the state.
The virus has also been found in some unexpected places, such as two cases in cats that consumed raw milk in Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County officials have warned against giving raw food to pets after a bird flu virus was found in one brand. A pet cat had died after eating it.
The state has distributed over 4 million protective equipment, but safety has become a major issue for workers. United Farm Workers spokeswoman Elizabeth Streater said many workers don’t get tested or report symptoms because of pay concerns.
The USDA launched a new national milk testing program on Dec. 6, but some experts believe the measures don’t go far enough.
Emory University professor Seema Lakdawala said new testing measures will help understand the spread of the virus, but those measures are coming too late.
The state is examining infection patterns through 40 research projects. Mike Payne, a veterinarian at the University of California, said there is still too much we don’t know to fully understand how the virus spreads between farms.
–IANS
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