Why has California declared emergency over bird flu? Should US be concerned?

A state of emergency has been declared in California, United States after cases of bird flu were observed in dairy cows in the state. As the country detected its first severe case of bird flu recently, new questions about the virus have come forward.

The illness reveals heightened risks from a virus previously known to cause conjunctivitis (eye redness) in infected farm workers. The Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 strain of virus, also known as Type A H5N1, was detected for the first time in US dairy cattle in March. Since then, bird flu has been confirmed in at least 866 herds in 16 states.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 60 people in eight states have been infected so far in the country. In a shocking incident, bird flu was detected for the first time in Gentoo and King penguins in Antarctica this year in January, reported news outlet NDTV.

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Here is what to know about the disease.

State of emergency in California

California declared a state of emergency to mobilise state resources and personnel more effectively in response to the outbreak, stated Governor Gavin Newsom. The state has been looking for bird flu in large milk tanks during processing. And they have found the virus it at least 650 herds, representing about three-quarters of all affected US dairy herds.

The virus was recently detected in Southern California dairy farms after being found in the state’s Central Valley in August. “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.

Risk to general public

Although there are risks of the illness spreading to humans as well, its chances are pretty low, officials of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated. Notably, no reports of person-to-person transmission has come to light yet while there have also been no signs of the  virus changing its form to spread more easily among humans.

In general, flu experts agreed with that assessment, saying it’s too soon to tell what trajectory the outbreak could take. “The entirely unsatisfactory answer is going to be: I don’t think we know yet,” said Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. But virus experts are wary because flu viruses are constantly mutating and small genetic changes could change the outlook.

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The severity of cases

The first case of severe illness caused by the virus was detected in Louisiana this week, confirmed health officials. The man who has been detected with this illness is aged 65 years and has underlying medical issues. The patient who is in a critical condition developed severe respiratory symptoms after exposure to a backyard flock of sick birds, officials said. That makes it the first confirmed US infection tied to backyard birds, the CDC said.

Tests showed that the strain that caused the person’s illness is one found in wild birds, but not in cattle. Last month, health officials in Canada reported that a teen in British Columbia was hospitalised with a severe case of bird flu, also with the virus strain found in wild birds.

Previous infections in the US have been almost all in farmworkers with direct exposure to infected dairy cattle or poultry. In two cases — an adult in Missouri and a child in California — health officials have not determined how they caught it.

It’s possible that as more people become infected, more severe illnesses will occur, said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Worldwide, nearly 1,000 cases of illnesses caused by H5N1 have been reported since 2003, and more than half of the people infected have died, according to the World Health Organization. “I assume that every H5N1 virus has the potential to be very severe and deadly,” Rasmussen said.

Protection against the flu

According to the CDC and other experts, individuals in contact with dairy cows, commercial poultry, or backyard birds face higher risks and should take precautions like wearing respiratory and eye protection, as well as gloves.

“If birds are beginning to appear ill or die, they should be very careful about how they handle those animals,” said Michael Osterholm, a public health expert at the University of Minnesota.

The CDC has paid for flu shots to protect farm workers against seasonal flu — and against the risk that the workers could become infected with two flu types at the same time, potentially allowing the bird flu virus to mutate and become more dangerous. The government also said that farmworkers who come in close contact with infected animals should be tested and offered antiviral drugs even if they show no symptoms.

Factors that help spread bird flu

The H5N1 virus can also spread through raw milk, in addition to direct contact with farm animals and wild birds. Pasteurised milk is safe, as the heat treatment eliminates the virus, according to the US FDA.

High levels of the virus have been detected in unpasteurised milk . Recently, raw milk sold in California stores was recalled after the virus was found on farms and in the products.

In Los Angeles, county officials reported that two indoor cats that were fed the recalled raw milk died from bird flu infections. Officials were investigating additional reports of sick cats. Health officials urge people to avoid drinking raw milk, which can spread a host of germs in addition to bird flu.

With inputs from AP