BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 603 of the 764 dairies affected by Avian Flu have been released from quarantine.
- According to a release from the CDFA, the nationwide outbreak of avian flu was first detected in poultry in 2022, then in dairy herds in 2024.
- The Centers for Disease Control reports 70 human cases of bird flu in the U.S., with 38 in California, 36 of which have been linked to cattle. Of those California cases, four can be attributed to Kern County according to Kern County Public Health.
- According to a public records request by 23ABC, over 40 dairies in Kern County have been affected by the disease, but it's unclear if those dairies are still under quarantine or if they've been released.
- According to Paul Rzucidlo, Assistant Division Director of Health Services for KCPH, the risk to the general public of contracting avian influenza is low as long as they stay away from sick animals. Rzucidlo noted that those who work around animals, like a dairy farm, should take precautions like wearing the proper protective gear.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Bird flu was first spotted in poultry flocks in 2022 and then in dairy herds in 2024. I'm Sam Hoyle, your neighborhood reporter, according to the Centers for Disease Control, there are 70 confirmed cases in the U.S. of bird flu in humans. 38 of those cases are closer to home in the state of California, with 36 of them being confirmed to have spread from cattle, two are still unknown.
We reached out to Betsy Hunter, the central valley representative for the milk producers council a non-profit that represents dairy farms throughout California, who declined an interview but said, "There are a handful of dairies under quarantine and since they've been under quarantine they've been focusing the health and welfare of their employees and animals."
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, as of April 17th, 764 infected dairies had been found in California, 603 of which have been released from quarantine.
According to a public records request made by 23ABC, over 40 dairies in Kern County have been affected by the virus, but it is unclear how many are actively under quarantine or how many have been released.
Also in Kern County, there have been four cases of the virus in humans, but there's no indication on the public health website how the four cases came to be.
However, according to Assistant Division Director of Health Services for KCPH Paul Rzucidlo, there's likely more than that, but it's unlikely there have been any severe undocumented cases. Rzucidlo continued by saying there's little risk to the public regarding the disease as long as they stay away from sick animals.
"There's been no documented human-to-human transmission. Unless you're working with these animals, working with sick birds, things like that, your risk is low. And then you know, if you don't have a reason, like a job or something like that, to be around sick animals, if you see sick birds, don't go up to them, and that'll help reduce your risk."
According to Kern County Public Health, if you suspect that you've contracted bird flu, the county agency is asking that you reach out to them for further testing in an effort to limit the spread of the virus.
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