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Mallory Schmitt, San Benito County’s deputy director of public health services, said the general public is not at a high risk from the bird flu outbreak that led Gov. Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency on Dec. 18.
She said people working with dairy cows and poultry are at risk and will have personal protective equipment available to them if they request it. She cautioned against drinking raw milk or giving raw milk to pets, as they too can become infected.
Schmitt added that while the seasonal flu vaccine is not formulated specifically for bird flu, it can offer some protection and lessen the symptoms of bird flu, also known as the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or H5N1.
The virus has recently been found in San Benito County in a Canada Goose, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The San Benito County Health Department in an earlier report said waterfowl infections were detected at a commercial poultry farm outside of Hollister in December 2023 and 5,000 ducks and geese were euthanized.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that there have been 61 human cases of bird flu in the U.S. during this outbreak—34 of them in California. Thirty-three were from dairy cattle and one came from an unknown source.
A Dec. 18 press release from the governor’s office said that “through coordinated public awareness efforts between the CDPH, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Office of Emergency Services and other agencies, the state is leading a cross-agency response that includes timely public updates, multilingual outreach to dairy and poultry workers, targeted social media efforts to promote preventive practices, online and printed resources for the public. Additionally, the state is ensuring that agriculture workers have access to additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reduce concurrent flu risks.”
The CDC, along with state and local health departments, monitor people exposed to infected birds, poultry, dairy cows and other animals for 10 days after exposure. Between March 24, 2024 and now, there have been
- At least 9,600 people monitored
- At least 6,050 with exposures to dairy cows
- At least 3,500 with exposures to birds and other animals including poultry (non-dairy cow sources)
- At least 500 persons tested for novel influenza A
- At least 152 with exposures to dairy cows
- At least 340 with exposures to birds and other animals including poultry (non-dairy cow sources)
The Mayo Clinic lists the following as common bird flu symptoms:
- Fever
- Problems breathing
- Pink eye, also called conjunctivitis
- Upset stomach and vomiting
- Loose stool or diarrhea
Complications include:
- Worsening of chronic lung conditions, such as asthma or cystic fibrosis
- Ear and sinus infection
- Failure of the respiratory system, called acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Kidney problems
- Heart problems
- Bleeding in the lungs, collapsed lung or bacterial pneumonia
- Sepsis
The CDPH website offers this advice:
- Avoid contact with infected animals. People should avoid direct contact with wild birds and other animals infected with or suspected to have bird flu. Wild birds can be infected with bird flu even if they don’t look sick.
- Wear personal protective equipment (PPE) if you must work with infected animals: If you work with infected animals and must have direct/close contact, wear recommended PPE, such as: respirators (N95 masks), eye protection (face shields or safety goggles) and gloves.
- Get the seasonal flu vaccine. CDPH recommends that all Californians—especially workers at risk for exposure to bird flu—receive a seasonal flu vaccine. Although the seasonal flu vaccine will not protect against bird flu, it can decrease the risk of being infected with both viruses at the same time and reduce the chance of severe illness from seasonal flu.
- Only consume pasteurized dairy products. Do not touch or consume raw milk or raw milk products, especially from animals with confirmed or suspected bird flu infection. Pasteurized milk and dairy foods are safe to eat.
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