Reasons The California Bird Flu Outbreak Is Hazardous For Utah

California has declared a state of emergency due to the outbreak of the Bird Flu which is impacting dairy cow herds.  

Now, you’re probably wondering what the heck this has to do with Utah. Well, being neighbors and all, it's important to know what is going on but even more prominent is watching any dairy products that come from California.  

Chances are low but not impossible for a Utahn to consume contaminated dairy and get sick.  

A severe case of Bird Flu H5N1 in Louisiana is what sparked California Gov. Gavin Newsom to take more severe action, Los Angeles Times said.  The case in Louisiana is the worst so far and 645 dairy herds in Cali have been infected.  

This means that Utah is susceptible to the contagion with migrating birds and getting any dairy products from California.  

There have been 34 people who were confirmed sick in California from Bird Flu as well as a few pet cats as of Wednesday, Dec. 18, the Los Angeles Times said.  

California was the largest dairy producing state in 2023, especially with milk, Statista said. There were more than four million pounds of milk produced by the state last year.  

Though Newson is heavily monitoring the outbreak in the state, those who work in dairy farms and bird farms are most susceptible to the virus. Utahns with backyard farms and the danger or migrating birds who carry the virus need to be vigilant.  

Newsom has implemented the “largest testing and monitoring system in the nation” to tackle this issue, the Los Angeles Times said.