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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
These are the first human cases of bird flu identified in the state and are both in Central Valley individuals who had contact with infected dairy cattle.
There is no known link or contact between the two cases, suggesting only animal-to-human spread of the virus in California.
Like the first case, the second individual has also experienced mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis (eye symptoms), and neither reported respiratory symptoms, nor was hospitalized. To protect patient privacy, additional details will not be provided at this time.
The risk to the general public remains low, but people who interact with infected animals, like dairy or poultry farm workers, are at higher risk of getting bird flu.
CDPH recommends that personal protective equipment, or PPE, such as respirators (N95 masks), eye protection (face shields or safety goggles), and gloves be worn by anyone working with animals or materials that are infected or potentially infected with the bird flu virus. Wearing PPE helps prevent infection.
Please see CDPH’s Worker Protection from Bird Flu for full PPE guidance.
Pasteurized milk and dairy products continue to be safe to consume, as pasteurization is fully effective at inactivating the bird flu virus.
As an added precaution, and according to longstanding state and federal requirements, milk from sick cows is not permitted in the public milk supply.
CDPH has helped coordinate and support outreach to dairy producers and farm workers on preventive measures that have helped keep human cases low in other states with bird flu outbreaks.
CDPH continues to support local health departments in distributing PPE from state and federal stockpiles directly to affected dairy farms, farmworker organizations, poultry farm workers, those who handle raw dairy products, and slaughterhouse workers.
To protect California farm workers from bird flu, during the last four months CDPH has distributed more than 340,000 respirators, 1.3 million gloves, 160,000 goggles and face shields, and 168,000 bouffant caps.
In addition, CDPH is working closely with local public health laboratories and local health departments to provide health checks for exposed individuals and ensure testing and treatment are available when needed.
As one of the 14 states with infected dairy herds, California also received 5,000 additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine for farm workers from the CDC. CDPH is working to distribute the doses to local health departments with the highest number of dairy farms.
CDPH has been tracking bird flu and making preparations for a possible human infection since the state’s first detection in poultry in 2022. CDPH partners closely with the California Department of Food & Agriculture on a broad approach to protect human and animal health.
CDPH and the CDC use both human and wastewater surveillance tools to detect and monitor for bird flu, and work closely with local health departments to prepare, prevent, and lessen its impact on human health.
People exposed to infected animals should monitor for the following symptoms for 10 days after their last exposure: eye redness (conjunctivitis), cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing, and fever. If they start to feel sick, they should immediately isolate, notify their local public health department, and work with public health and health care providers to get timely testing and treatment.
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.
For the latest information on the national bird flu response, see the CDC’s Bird Flu Response Update.
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- Written by: California Department of Public Health
The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, is reminding Californians and travelers that more people are infected with Valley fever in late summer and fall than at other times of the year, which is why August has been designated as Valley Fever Awareness Month.
Valley fever can infect the lungs and cause respiratory symptoms, and in rare cases, be fatal.
“We’re preparing for another possible increase in Valley fever cases in the coming months, and we want Californians to know the signs and symptoms to detect it early,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “If you have a lingering cough and fatigue, please talk to a doctor about Valley fever, especially if you’ve been outdoors in dusty air in the Central Valley or Central Coast regions.”
Increasing cases
Valley fever is on the rise in California, with over 9,000 cases reported statewide in 2023 and over 5,000 preliminary cases reported this year, as of July 1.
Possible causes of this recent increase include winter rains after several years of drought, an increase in soil disturbance activities (including construction) in high-risk areas, and increased disease recognition, testing and reporting.
In addition, while most cases of Valley fever in California are reported from the Central Valley and Central Coast regions, cases have been increasing outside of these regions, including in the northern Central Valley and in southern California.
Given this increase, healthcare providers caring for patients with prolonged respiratory symptoms should ask about outdoor dust exposure or recent travel to areas where Valley fever is more common and consider Valley fever as a potential diagnosis.
Risk factors and prevention tips
People can get Valley fever by breathing in dust from outdoor air that contains the Valley fever fungus. Anyone who lives, works, or travels in an area where Valley fever has been reported can become infected, including pets.
Valley fever is not contagious and cannot spread from one person or animal to another.
Those who spend more time outdoors and are exposed to dirt and dust in areas where Valley fever is common are more likely to get Valley fever.
Factors that can increase a person’s risk of getting severe Valley fever include being an older adult (60+ years old), having diabetes or a condition that weakens the immune system, or being pregnant.
People who are Black or Filipino also have been noted to have a higher risk of severe disease from Valley fever, which may relate to underlying health conditions, health inequities, or other possible predispositions.
Practical tips may help prevent Valley fever in areas with high rates:
• When it is windy outside and the air is dusty, stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed.
• When driving through a dusty area, keep car windows closed and use recirculating air, if possible.
• Before digging, wet down soil and dirt to prevent stirring up dust into the air.
• Consider wearing a properly fitted N95 respirator (mask) if you must be in dusty air outdoors in these areas.
About Valley fever
Valley fever, also known as coccidioidomycosis or “cocci,” usually affects the lungs and can cause prolonged respiratory symptoms like cough and chest pain, as well as lingering fatigue, tiredness, and headache.
While Valley fever shares many of the same symptoms as other respiratory diseases (including COVID-19), it takes about one to three weeks for Valley fever symptoms to develop, and illness can last a month or more.
Laboratory tests are needed to know whether symptoms are caused by Valley fever or another illness. If you test negative for COVID-19, have respiratory symptoms that last more than a week, and live in or have recently traveled to an area where Valley fever is more common, you should talk to a doctor about Valley fever.
For additional information on Valley fever, please visit CDPH’s Valley fever website.
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- Written by: California Department of Public Health
The statewide program is offered to all pregnant women in California to detect potential genetic conditions and birth defects in their developing fetus. California is the only state providing voluntary, standard-of-care prenatal screening to all individuals.
Medi-Cal and private insurance generally cover all program fees and covered families do not have any out-of-pocket costs.
“All pregnant women in California deserve access to the highest-quality prenatal screening and we’re excited to be able to offer more information about the health of their pregnancy,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón. “We are committed to working with our partners to ensure follow-up services are available at no additional cost to participants.”
The program currently screens for genetic conditions including Down syndrome, Trisomy 18 and 13, and neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
Due to patient demand and new clinical practice guidelines, beginning April 1, additions to the state cell-free DNA screening panel will include sex chromosome aneuploidies (SCAs) – also referred to as X and Y chromosome variations.
These include:
• Turner syndrome (only one X chromosome);
• Klinefelter syndrome (extra X chromosome);
• XYY (extra Y chromosome);
• Trisomy X (three X chromosomes).
As with all screening programs, follow up confirmatory tests would be needed for pregnant women who screen positive for SCAs.
The CA PNS Program will provide genetic counseling and authorized follow-up services for participants at no additional cost.
The expansion of California’s Prenatal Screening Program helps protect and promote the health of Californians and is just one of many efforts the state and Gov. Gavin Newsom are undertaking to address affordability and improve health outcomes for all Californians.
Additional initiatives include the Governor’s Master Plan for Kids’ Mental Health, the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, launching the Office of Health Care Affordability, expanding access to Medi-Cal, and transforming Medi-Cal through CalAIM, among others.
For additional information on the Prenatal Screening Program, visit www.cdph.ca.gov.
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- Written by: Blue Zones Project
Blue Zones Project — Lake County has announced that Adventist Health Clear Lake has achieved Blue Zones Project Approved worksite status.
Additionally, their Mountain View Café has also been approved as a Blue Zones Project restaurant.
Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative focused on changing the built environment to address social determinants of health while making healthy choices easier, and helping people live longer, healthier and happier lives. Employers are in a powerful position to help individuals move more, eat better, and connect.
Adventist Health Clear Lake has earned approved worksite status by adopting employee well-being improvement initiatives to address these and other areas of opportunity.
“This accomplishment is a testament to our commitment to creating a workplace that puts the well-being of our employees first. I am grateful to our team for their dedication in reaching this milestone, and I am excited to see the positive impact it will have on our organization and the lives we touch," said Colleen Assavapisitkul, president of Adventist Health Clear Lake.
“This is such a great accomplishment on our way to completing full Blue Zones worksite certification. Using the Blues Zones best practices in the workplace is helping us achieve our goal of empowering our associates to find purpose and joy in their work as well as thrive in areas of well-being " said Don Smith, director of well-being at Adventist Health Clear Lake.
“Adventist Health’s Blue Zones Project Approvals are yet another testament to their commitment to the health and well-being of our community,” said Blue Zones Project — Lake County Executive Director Jamey Gill. “We are so happy to partner with them and look forward to the future as we continue making Lake County an even healthier, happier place to live, work, and play.”
To celebrate these significant milestones, Adventist Health Clear Lake invites the community to a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, at the hospital's main entrance.
To learn more about the Blue Zones Project, visit https://lakecounty.bluezonesproject.com/.