California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an emergency proclamation on Wednesday in response to growing concerns over bird flu cases in the state and across the country.

Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency over a bird flu outbreak in California. Mr Newsom, the California governor, said the move would allow the state to “expedite” its efforts to contain the outbreak and insisted the risk to the public was “low”.

Bird flu virus has swept through farms across the nation’s largest dairy producing state. All human cases had been mild - until now.