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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council is set to consider tribal consultation guidelines and an updated contract for the police chief.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 833 4262 8911, the pass code is 355701. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,83342628911#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
On Thursday’s agenda is a discussion and consideration of the council’s adoption of tribal consultation guidelines.
City Manager Alan Flora’s report to the council asks members to “consider amending the City’s current environmental guidelines to include more detail on management of tribal cultural resources and consultation.”
He said that in 2016 the city adopted a set of environmental guidelines that included an appendix titled, “Native American Tribal Consultation Program,” to implement the requirements of AB 52 from 2015.
He said the council has been in a consultation process on the updated guidelines since October 2022.
“While in large part consultation and coordination between the City as lead agency and the tribes has worked quite well, that has not always been the case,” said Flora, a reference to several lawsuits the city is in that were filed by the Koi Nation, one of three tribes with ancestral ties to the city.
“Staff hoped that by adopting a more comprehensive policy framework related to tribal cultural resources would result in more predictability, less room for disagreement, and a more streamlined and economical project completion,” Flora wrote.
“The draft policy before you has undergone many iterations, but has ultimately been brought back in a format that more comprehensively summarizes the existing requirements of the City under state and federal law, but does not significantly expand the City’s responsibilities beyond those requirements,” Flora’s report stated.
In other business on Thursday, the council will consider an amendment to the employment contract with Police Chief Tim Hobbs to add a longevity incentive.
Hobbs has been police chief since January 2023.
Also on Thursday, there will be a presentation of certificates of appreciation to trunk or treat volunteers and donors, consideration of the 2024-25 salary schedule, and the introduction and first reading of three proposed new ordinances for fire mitigation fees, fire hydrant inspection and testing requirements and establishment of standards for relocation of underground utilities in the public right-of-way.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; City Council minutes; minutes of the Oct. 9 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; adoption of amendments to the council’s norms and procedures; the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 272-2024, an ordinance establishing Article 6-10 of the Clearlake Municipal Code regulating tobacco retailers; and continuation of the director of emergency services/city manager proclamation declaring a local emergency for winter storms.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss Kathleen Sherlock’s liability claim against the city.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The agenda can be found here.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 833 4262 8911, the pass code is 355701. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,83342628911#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.
On Thursday’s agenda is a discussion and consideration of the council’s adoption of tribal consultation guidelines.
City Manager Alan Flora’s report to the council asks members to “consider amending the City’s current environmental guidelines to include more detail on management of tribal cultural resources and consultation.”
He said that in 2016 the city adopted a set of environmental guidelines that included an appendix titled, “Native American Tribal Consultation Program,” to implement the requirements of AB 52 from 2015.
He said the council has been in a consultation process on the updated guidelines since October 2022.
“While in large part consultation and coordination between the City as lead agency and the tribes has worked quite well, that has not always been the case,” said Flora, a reference to several lawsuits the city is in that were filed by the Koi Nation, one of three tribes with ancestral ties to the city.
“Staff hoped that by adopting a more comprehensive policy framework related to tribal cultural resources would result in more predictability, less room for disagreement, and a more streamlined and economical project completion,” Flora wrote.
“The draft policy before you has undergone many iterations, but has ultimately been brought back in a format that more comprehensively summarizes the existing requirements of the City under state and federal law, but does not significantly expand the City’s responsibilities beyond those requirements,” Flora’s report stated.
In other business on Thursday, the council will consider an amendment to the employment contract with Police Chief Tim Hobbs to add a longevity incentive.
Hobbs has been police chief since January 2023.
Also on Thursday, there will be a presentation of certificates of appreciation to trunk or treat volunteers and donors, consideration of the 2024-25 salary schedule, and the introduction and first reading of three proposed new ordinances for fire mitigation fees, fire hydrant inspection and testing requirements and establishment of standards for relocation of underground utilities in the public right-of-way.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; City Council minutes; minutes of the Oct. 9 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; adoption of amendments to the council’s norms and procedures; the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 272-2024, an ordinance establishing Article 6-10 of the Clearlake Municipal Code regulating tobacco retailers; and continuation of the director of emergency services/city manager proclamation declaring a local emergency for winter storms.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss Kathleen Sherlock’s liability claim against the city.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKEPORT, Calif. — In response to numerous requests for information from members of the media and public regarding the Nov. 5 election process and expectations for the canvass period, Lake County Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez provided an explanation of the process.
Valadez said she was giving the statement “in the interest of ensuring staff can focus on delivering reliable election results as soon as possible.”
The following is Valadez’s complete statement.
California County Election Officials now provide all registered voters a Vote-By-Mail ballot, and my office is committed to ensuring every eligible resident is aware of their opportunities to vote. While some voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, many wait until campaigns have fully concluded.
Final certification of election results, particularly for Primary and General Presidential Elections, takes time. It is essential the public has full faith in the final reported election results, and the methods and means it takes to certify those results. The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office takes these responsibilities very seriously; while we work as quickly as we can within staffing and resource limitations, accuracy and reliability are our highest priorities.
Extra verification steps must be taken before each Vote-By-Mail ballot can be officially counted.
Each signature on a Vote-By-Mail ballot envelope must be compared with that voter’s signature on file before it can even be opened. If the signature does not match, or the voter failed to sign their ID envelope, additional review and extra steps must be undertaken to contact the voter to allow them the opportunity to cure the issue with their signature. These voters have until December 1, 2024, by 5 p.m., to respond to the notice (two days prior to final certification), and the volume of votes cast in this manner creates a significant workload for our relatively limited staff. Our four permanent full-time staff are working 40-70 hours per week, at present, and eight Extra Help staff are working 30-70 hours, to complete this work as quickly as possible.
Vote-By-Mail ballots received (and whose signatures were verified) early were included in the first batch of results released shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night. Updates provided on Election Night reflected ballots cast in-person at polling places. Getting those ballots to our office required two election workers, from each location, to safely and reliably transport ballots back to our office for processing and counting. The last two poll workers reached our office shortly after 1:30 a.m. Over Election Night and the early morning hours following, staff processed and counted over 2,000 ballots.
Once the final Election Day unofficial results were posted, staff spent the next two days organizing and preparing for post-Election Day work to finalize results and ultimately certify the election. California State law provides for a post-Election Day Canvass period of up to 30 days to certify most elections, and 28 days for a Presidential Election. Therefore, the 2024 General Presidential Election must be certified no later than December 3, 2024.
During the Canvass period, staff continues processing Vote-By-Mail ballots and applying voter history to those who voted in-person at their assigned polling place. In addition, our office is required to conduct a 1% manual tally of the votes cast and reported on the final Election Day results. This process, alone, took two days for staff to complete.
Vote-By-Mail ballots mailed to our office at the last minute can, by law, be accepted up to seven days following Election Day, as long as the envelope has an Election Day postmark. Of course, voters are encouraged to mail their ballots early or drop them off at Official Drop Boxes or the Lake County Registrar of Voters’ office. California voters may also return their Vote-By-Mail ballot to any Elections Office, Official Drop Box, Polling Place or Vote Center in California, which adds time before election officials can certify results.
In addition to voting by mail and voting in-person at a polling place, California offers Provisional Voting and Conditional Voter Registration (also known as Same Day Registration). Polls Provisional Ballots are cast at the Polling Places on Election Day. Reasons a voter may be issued a Provisional Ballot include:
• The voter is unable to surrender their Vote-By-Mail ballot to be issued a polls ballot;
• The voter’s name is not printed on the Roster-Index and/or the voter has moved and did not re-register to vote at their new residence address;
• A voter presents to a precinct other than their assigned voting precinct;
• A first-time voter required to provide ID is unable to do so; or
• The voter’s eligibility cannot be confirmed by the poll worker.
Conditional Voter Registration ballots are issued those who missed the regular voter registration deadline of October 21, but retain the option to vote in an Election by conditionally registering and casting a conditional ballot (i.e., “same-day voter registration”).
Provisional and Conditional ballots cannot be processed until after all Vote-By-Mail ballots have been processed and in-person history has been applied to ensure no voter has voted more than once.
As described here, there are many steps our office must complete to complete to certify an election. We provided unofficial election results on November 14, and will continue doing so once a week throughout the Canvass period, until the election is certified.
Staff and leadership are working evenings, weekends and holidays, and are committed to accurate and timely completion of our final certified results. We are committed to ensuring all legal requirements are met, and the integrity and transparency of the election process meets the highest of standards.
We understand and appreciate the interest many have in certified election results being delivered as soon as possible; as Registrar, I can confirm staff are working as quickly as possible while ensuring the results are reliable and accurate.
While all California Counties face the same requirements, Lake County’s resource limitations have meant our process regularly takes longer. Thank you for your continued patience as the Canvass process is dutifully completed.
Valadez said she was giving the statement “in the interest of ensuring staff can focus on delivering reliable election results as soon as possible.”
The following is Valadez’s complete statement.
California County Election Officials now provide all registered voters a Vote-By-Mail ballot, and my office is committed to ensuring every eligible resident is aware of their opportunities to vote. While some voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, many wait until campaigns have fully concluded.
Final certification of election results, particularly for Primary and General Presidential Elections, takes time. It is essential the public has full faith in the final reported election results, and the methods and means it takes to certify those results. The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office takes these responsibilities very seriously; while we work as quickly as we can within staffing and resource limitations, accuracy and reliability are our highest priorities.
Extra verification steps must be taken before each Vote-By-Mail ballot can be officially counted.
Each signature on a Vote-By-Mail ballot envelope must be compared with that voter’s signature on file before it can even be opened. If the signature does not match, or the voter failed to sign their ID envelope, additional review and extra steps must be undertaken to contact the voter to allow them the opportunity to cure the issue with their signature. These voters have until December 1, 2024, by 5 p.m., to respond to the notice (two days prior to final certification), and the volume of votes cast in this manner creates a significant workload for our relatively limited staff. Our four permanent full-time staff are working 40-70 hours per week, at present, and eight Extra Help staff are working 30-70 hours, to complete this work as quickly as possible.
Vote-By-Mail ballots received (and whose signatures were verified) early were included in the first batch of results released shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night. Updates provided on Election Night reflected ballots cast in-person at polling places. Getting those ballots to our office required two election workers, from each location, to safely and reliably transport ballots back to our office for processing and counting. The last two poll workers reached our office shortly after 1:30 a.m. Over Election Night and the early morning hours following, staff processed and counted over 2,000 ballots.
Once the final Election Day unofficial results were posted, staff spent the next two days organizing and preparing for post-Election Day work to finalize results and ultimately certify the election. California State law provides for a post-Election Day Canvass period of up to 30 days to certify most elections, and 28 days for a Presidential Election. Therefore, the 2024 General Presidential Election must be certified no later than December 3, 2024.
During the Canvass period, staff continues processing Vote-By-Mail ballots and applying voter history to those who voted in-person at their assigned polling place. In addition, our office is required to conduct a 1% manual tally of the votes cast and reported on the final Election Day results. This process, alone, took two days for staff to complete.
Vote-By-Mail ballots mailed to our office at the last minute can, by law, be accepted up to seven days following Election Day, as long as the envelope has an Election Day postmark. Of course, voters are encouraged to mail their ballots early or drop them off at Official Drop Boxes or the Lake County Registrar of Voters’ office. California voters may also return their Vote-By-Mail ballot to any Elections Office, Official Drop Box, Polling Place or Vote Center in California, which adds time before election officials can certify results.
In addition to voting by mail and voting in-person at a polling place, California offers Provisional Voting and Conditional Voter Registration (also known as Same Day Registration). Polls Provisional Ballots are cast at the Polling Places on Election Day. Reasons a voter may be issued a Provisional Ballot include:
• The voter is unable to surrender their Vote-By-Mail ballot to be issued a polls ballot;
• The voter’s name is not printed on the Roster-Index and/or the voter has moved and did not re-register to vote at their new residence address;
• A voter presents to a precinct other than their assigned voting precinct;
• A first-time voter required to provide ID is unable to do so; or
• The voter’s eligibility cannot be confirmed by the poll worker.
Conditional Voter Registration ballots are issued those who missed the regular voter registration deadline of October 21, but retain the option to vote in an Election by conditionally registering and casting a conditional ballot (i.e., “same-day voter registration”).
Provisional and Conditional ballots cannot be processed until after all Vote-By-Mail ballots have been processed and in-person history has been applied to ensure no voter has voted more than once.
As described here, there are many steps our office must complete to complete to certify an election. We provided unofficial election results on November 14, and will continue doing so once a week throughout the Canvass period, until the election is certified.
Staff and leadership are working evenings, weekends and holidays, and are committed to accurate and timely completion of our final certified results. We are committed to ensuring all legal requirements are met, and the integrity and transparency of the election process meets the highest of standards.
We understand and appreciate the interest many have in certified election results being delivered as soon as possible; as Registrar, I can confirm staff are working as quickly as possible while ensuring the results are reliable and accurate.
While all California Counties face the same requirements, Lake County’s resource limitations have meant our process regularly takes longer. Thank you for your continued patience as the Canvass process is dutifully completed.
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the continuation of the state’s effort to address the fentanyl crisis, with the California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force supporting the seizure of 1,541 pounds of illicit fentanyl in October. These seizures included over 1.7 million fentanyl pills at an estimated street value of $11.9 million.
“California continues the intensive work of keeping fentanyl out of our communities, helping law enforcement seize over 204% more fentanyl last month than the month prior,” said Newsom. “I thank the California National Guard and law enforcement for their diligent and lifesaving work at our ports of entry and across the state.”
In June, Newsom increased the number of Cal Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force service members supporting fentanyl interdiction and seizing other drugs at California ports of entry from 155 to nearly 400.
In 2023, the governor increased the number of Cal Guard service members deployed to support drug interdiction at California ports of entry along the border by approximately 50%.
Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry.
Cal Guard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $60 million investment over four years to expand Cal Guard’s work to prevent drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.
This adds to the governor’s efforts to address fentanyl within California, including by cracking down on fentanyl in communities across the state, including San Francisco.
Addressing the opioid crisis
California is taking aggressive action to end the fentanyl and opioid crisis.
The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework to deepen the impact of these investments, including aggressive steps to support overdose prevention efforts, hold the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, crack down on drug trafficking, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids, including fentanyl.
The state launched opioids.ca.gov, a one-stop tool for Californians seeking resources for prevention and treatment, as well as information on how California is working to hold Big Pharma and drug traffickers accountable in this crisis.
In August, California launched the Facts Fight Fentanyl campaign to educate Californians on the dangers of fentanyl and how to prevent overdoses and deaths. This effort will provide critical information about fentanyl and life-saving tools such as naloxone.
As part of Gov. Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, over-the-counter CalRx-branded naloxone is now becoming available across the state.
Through the Naloxone Distribution Project, CalRx-branded over-the-counter naloxone HCL nasal spray, 4 mg, will be available for free to eligible organizations through the state or for sale for $24 per twin-pack through Amneal.
In support of President Joe Biden’s bilateral cooperation agreement with China on counternarcotics, the governor spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in October about combating the transnational shipping of precursor chemicals used to create fentanyl.
“California continues the intensive work of keeping fentanyl out of our communities, helping law enforcement seize over 204% more fentanyl last month than the month prior,” said Newsom. “I thank the California National Guard and law enforcement for their diligent and lifesaving work at our ports of entry and across the state.”
In June, Newsom increased the number of Cal Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force service members supporting fentanyl interdiction and seizing other drugs at California ports of entry from 155 to nearly 400.
In 2023, the governor increased the number of Cal Guard service members deployed to support drug interdiction at California ports of entry along the border by approximately 50%.
Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry.
Cal Guard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $60 million investment over four years to expand Cal Guard’s work to prevent drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.
This adds to the governor’s efforts to address fentanyl within California, including by cracking down on fentanyl in communities across the state, including San Francisco.
Addressing the opioid crisis
California is taking aggressive action to end the fentanyl and opioid crisis.
The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework to deepen the impact of these investments, including aggressive steps to support overdose prevention efforts, hold the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, crack down on drug trafficking, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids, including fentanyl.
The state launched opioids.ca.gov, a one-stop tool for Californians seeking resources for prevention and treatment, as well as information on how California is working to hold Big Pharma and drug traffickers accountable in this crisis.
In August, California launched the Facts Fight Fentanyl campaign to educate Californians on the dangers of fentanyl and how to prevent overdoses and deaths. This effort will provide critical information about fentanyl and life-saving tools such as naloxone.
As part of Gov. Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, over-the-counter CalRx-branded naloxone is now becoming available across the state.
Through the Naloxone Distribution Project, CalRx-branded over-the-counter naloxone HCL nasal spray, 4 mg, will be available for free to eligible organizations through the state or for sale for $24 per twin-pack through Amneal.
In support of President Joe Biden’s bilateral cooperation agreement with China on counternarcotics, the governor spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in October about combating the transnational shipping of precursor chemicals used to create fentanyl.
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
State health officials said Tuesday that they have identified a possible bird flu case in a child in Alameda County who was tested for mild upper respiratory symptoms.
The child, who has been treated, is recovering at home. They had no known contact with an infected animal, but public health experts are investigating a possible exposure to wild birds.
The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, said it is working with local public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the cause of the initial positive test in the child.
The positive test showed a low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others.
Officials said repeat bird flu testing on the child four days later was negative, and additional testing shows the child was also positive for respiratory viruses that could be the cause of their cold and flu symptoms.
The test specimens are being sent to CDC for confirmatory testing.
In its report CDPH said no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected or is suspected.
Due to mild respiratory symptoms, all close family members of the child were tested — and all are negative for bird flu and not suspected of having the virus at all.
Family members were also confirmed to have the same, more common respiratory viruses as the child. They are also being treated with preventive medication.
Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, other individuals who had contact with the child are being notified and offered preventive treatment and testing.
Public health officials said they are aware that the child attended daycare with mild symptoms before the child’s test was reported as a possible bird flu infection.
Local public health officials have reached out to potentially exposed caregivers and families to conduct health checks for symptoms and offer connections to preventive treatment and testing if they develop symptoms.
“It’s natural for people to be concerned, and we want to reinforce for parents, caregivers and families that based on the information and data we have, we don’t think the child was infectious — and no human-to-human spread of bird flu has been documented in any country for more than 15 years,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón.
Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare, and no person-to-person spread has been detected in California or the United States. In the rare cases where bird flu has spread from one person to another, it has never spread beyond a few close contacts.
Limited and sporadic human infections with bird flu where there is no clear route of exposure or infection are expected and have occurred in the past and during the outbreak public health officials have been monitoring since 2022.
Regardless, CDPH said public health surveillance and investigations of such cases will continue at the local, state and federal levels to monitor for any concerning changes.
People working with infected animals are at higher risk
CDPH said people who have contact with infected dairy cows, poultry or wildlife have a greater chance of getting bird flu, which can happen if the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled.
As a general precaution, whenever possible people should avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, and other animals and observe them only from a distance, CDPH said.
Since early October, California has reported 26 confirmed human cases of bird flu, all following direct contact with infected dairy cows.
To date, all have reported mild symptoms (primarily eye infections), and none have been hospitalized.
Because bird flu viruses can change and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, public health officials have provided preventive measures and are monitoring animal and human infections carefully.
CDPH said it has been closely monitoring the bird flu situation in both animals and humans since the state's first detection in poultry in 2022.
To protect public health, and especially workers who may be exposed to infected animals, CDPH encourages those who work with infected dairy cows, raw milk, or infected poultry to use protective gear.
Individuals who have symptoms or a significant exposure (such as raw milk splashing into the eye) should get tested quickly and treated.
In humans, bird flu symptoms include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.
Public health experts also encourage farm workers to get a flu shot this year. While a seasonal flu shot doesn’t stop bird flu, it protects against severe illness from seasonal flu and reduces the chance of human and bird flu viruses mixing and turning into new viruses that can spread more easily or be more severe.
Pasteurized milk products are safe to consume
Pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume, CDPH reported.
Officials said drinking raw milk or eating raw milk products could be dangerous. They urge consumers to reduce their risk by choosing pasteurized milk and dairy foods like cheese and yogurt.
Pasteurization, the process of heating milk to specific temperatures for certain times, inactivates the bird flu virus and harmful germs that can be found in raw milk.
The child, who has been treated, is recovering at home. They had no known contact with an infected animal, but public health experts are investigating a possible exposure to wild birds.
The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, said it is working with local public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the cause of the initial positive test in the child.
The positive test showed a low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others.
Officials said repeat bird flu testing on the child four days later was negative, and additional testing shows the child was also positive for respiratory viruses that could be the cause of their cold and flu symptoms.
The test specimens are being sent to CDC for confirmatory testing.
In its report CDPH said no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected or is suspected.
Due to mild respiratory symptoms, all close family members of the child were tested — and all are negative for bird flu and not suspected of having the virus at all.
Family members were also confirmed to have the same, more common respiratory viruses as the child. They are also being treated with preventive medication.
Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, other individuals who had contact with the child are being notified and offered preventive treatment and testing.
Public health officials said they are aware that the child attended daycare with mild symptoms before the child’s test was reported as a possible bird flu infection.
Local public health officials have reached out to potentially exposed caregivers and families to conduct health checks for symptoms and offer connections to preventive treatment and testing if they develop symptoms.
“It’s natural for people to be concerned, and we want to reinforce for parents, caregivers and families that based on the information and data we have, we don’t think the child was infectious — and no human-to-human spread of bird flu has been documented in any country for more than 15 years,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón.
Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare, and no person-to-person spread has been detected in California or the United States. In the rare cases where bird flu has spread from one person to another, it has never spread beyond a few close contacts.
Limited and sporadic human infections with bird flu where there is no clear route of exposure or infection are expected and have occurred in the past and during the outbreak public health officials have been monitoring since 2022.
Regardless, CDPH said public health surveillance and investigations of such cases will continue at the local, state and federal levels to monitor for any concerning changes.
People working with infected animals are at higher risk
CDPH said people who have contact with infected dairy cows, poultry or wildlife have a greater chance of getting bird flu, which can happen if the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled.
As a general precaution, whenever possible people should avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, and other animals and observe them only from a distance, CDPH said.
Since early October, California has reported 26 confirmed human cases of bird flu, all following direct contact with infected dairy cows.
To date, all have reported mild symptoms (primarily eye infections), and none have been hospitalized.
Because bird flu viruses can change and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, public health officials have provided preventive measures and are monitoring animal and human infections carefully.
CDPH said it has been closely monitoring the bird flu situation in both animals and humans since the state's first detection in poultry in 2022.
To protect public health, and especially workers who may be exposed to infected animals, CDPH encourages those who work with infected dairy cows, raw milk, or infected poultry to use protective gear.
Individuals who have symptoms or a significant exposure (such as raw milk splashing into the eye) should get tested quickly and treated.
In humans, bird flu symptoms include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.
Public health experts also encourage farm workers to get a flu shot this year. While a seasonal flu shot doesn’t stop bird flu, it protects against severe illness from seasonal flu and reduces the chance of human and bird flu viruses mixing and turning into new viruses that can spread more easily or be more severe.
Pasteurized milk products are safe to consume
Pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume, CDPH reported.
Officials said drinking raw milk or eating raw milk products could be dangerous. They urge consumers to reduce their risk by choosing pasteurized milk and dairy foods like cheese and yogurt.
Pasteurization, the process of heating milk to specific temperatures for certain times, inactivates the bird flu virus and harmful germs that can be found in raw milk.
- Details
- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS