It’s about more than the price of eggs.
Until recently the only indicator for Tulare County residents of a mysterious ailment called bird flu was in the weekly grocery bill.
But Bird flu has moved on to become a tangible threat to the region’s health and economy. Many dairies in Tulare County have been put under quarantined due to the H5N1 virus and a new strain, H5N9, was found last week at a duck farm in Merced County. Along with other commercial poultry farms where the virus is detected, the entire flock of ducks had to be destroyed.
145 million poultry in the United States have been culled since 2022.
Since the beginning of 2024, 38 of the 67 human cases of avian flu have occurred in California, 18 of those in Tulare County. The majority of people who have contracted the virus are dairy workers. One elderly person has died in Louisiana.
What is bird flu? Where is it? And is it dangerous to humans?
The answers to those questions and more will be the subject of the next monthly forum for Tulare County Voices at 210: “Bird flu: Checking its spread in Tulare County.” The forum will be at 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at 210, 210 W. Center Ave., Visalia (corner of Locust).
The objective of this forum is to inform the public of the facts about the advance of the H5N1 virus in Tulare County and to explain how authorities are preparing for an infestation.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a state of emergency and considering our recent experience with COVID-19, it is likely the public would greet this new threat with alarm and confusion.
For all those reasons, we believe this forum’s discussion will be timely and valuable.
As is standard for our forums, we have assembled a panel of experts to engage in a discussion about avian flu:
- Maurice Pivetsky, DVM, UC-Davis, expert on H1C5, aka HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza]
- Chris Greer, Tulare County Assistant Ag Commissioner
- Anja Raudabaugh, Chief Executive Officer Western United Dairies
- Sharon Minnick, Senior Epidemiologist, Tulare County HHSA
In this guided discussion, these questions will be directed to panelists, according to their specific area of expertise or authority:
- How does H5N1 virus [HPAI] originate and spread?
- What is the threat to humans?
- How has avian flu affected poultry flocks and dairy herds?
- What kind of damage has it done so far]?
- In terms of public health, how great a danger is there, and what would the response be?
- What can be done by way of prevention?
- Could this evolve into a pandemic?
As the world learned with the COVID-19 pandemic, HPAI [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza] viruses spread and evolve quickly. A few facts about HPAI from the U.S, Department of Agriculture:
- H1N5 can wipe out a poultry flock completely. There is no cure.
- Dairy herds are less susceptible, and cows can recover. But an infected herd will suffer from lowered production.
- H1N5 originated in wild birds, especially water fowl. Unfortunately for local herds, Tulare County is on the Pacific flyway for migrating geese and ducks.
Many state and federal agencies are already warning the public to be prepared to take precautions. Dairy workers are being advised to wear masks in milking areas and the public is advised against drinking raw milk.
The Centers for Disease Control reports the public health risk is low, H5N1 is not spread from one human to another. However, viruses evolve and mutate. Any highly pathogenic organism has the potential to become infectious to humans.
Come to the forum on Feb. 11 and join the community conversation.
I am looking forward to the forum.
At a Sanctuary in Washington State, more than 21 big cats (tigers, cougars, bobcats) died from H5N1. We know that felines are susceptible to Avian flu. Are any vaccines being developed to protect our pets? My great fear is that the current regime could order American citizens’ domestic cats destroyed, in the same cruel manner that China killed people’s pet dogs after a breakout of rabies in that country.
Cats are highly susceptible to influenza and bird flu is showing very high mortality in all felines. It is important to point out that feline death has been because they have consumed (or been fed) raw milk, raw milk labled in pet food/products. Cats aren’t considered at risk if standard pet food is provided and it is not transmissible from cow to cat.
well since the ‘CURRENT REGIME’ actually has a functioning brain I’m sure your pet will be fine….who gives a cat milk anyway….it gives them diarrhea. We aren’t China.
After the lies we were told about Covid, and how Gavin Newsom shut our state down, mandating the public to wear masks, while he was dining out with friends sans masks , I will not be trusting anyone that works for the state. Trusting the science is not an option anymore.
Trusting science is not the same as trusting a person. Science is real. People are fallible. We should all be confident in believing in science, even when we don’t agree with different people’s agendas.
really?…..so you think Science doesn’t lie because the so called scientist sure did. Fauci should go to prison.
MAGA talking points. Don’t know if you are capable of comprehending the ins-and-outs of science and how it is used to protect the health and welfare of society. But you apparently can comprehend that it can be viewed and used as a political weapon. Sad that MAGA’s have to view every aspect of life through their political prism. “There are none so blind as those who will not see. The most deluded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know”…… or should already know. What we have already learned through science may very well save your life someday, if it hasn’t already. The human factor is that it can be hit and miss at times as we learn more and more about how things work in the exploration of the science. During COVID there were safeguards put in place to protect the pubic from this unknown virus. As more and more was learned about COVID safeguards were adjusted over time. At no time was the entire State shut down. Wearing a face mask wasn’t anything new or unreasonable, just an irritation for some people who dislike being told that they needed to be wearing one when out and about around others. People have been wearing face masks for years during flu and cold seasons. No big deal and in the long run no big sacrifice when it comes to protecting one’s health.
Sorry, my posted was a reply to Kelly and Michele.