California Gov. Newsom declares State of Emergency over bird flu
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21 hours ago
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- California Gov. Gavin Newsom (Dem.) on Wednesday declared a State of Emergency following the spread of bird flu.
- While no person-to-person spread has been recorded in the state, the measure is being taken due to the spread of the virus among dairy cows, an important industry. Bird flu was initially discovered in some cows in late August in Central California, but recently, several cows in Southern Caifornia were diagnosed.
- “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 news release. “While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.”
- Separately on Wednesday, the CDC said that the first severe case of bird flu in a human was confirmed in a patient in Lousiana.
- The U.S. vaccine stockpile against bird flu currently consists of traditionally developed vaccines from GSK (NYSE:GSK), Sanofi (NASDAQ:SNY), and CSL (OTCQX:CSLLY). Messenger-RNA-based vaccine makers Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA), Pfizer (NYSE:PFE), and CureVac (CVAC)/GSK are developing new shots.