California officials have declared a state of emergency over the spread of bird flu, which is tearing through dairy cows in that state and causing sporadic illnesses in people in the U.S.

As the CDC confirmed a severe case in Louisiana of a patient hospitalized with H5N1 bird flu, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California related to the virus.

The virus is passed from animals to people. While the current public health risk is low, people are encouraged to take precautions.

A person in Louisiana has the first severe illness caused by bird flu in the U.S., health officials said Wednesday.

The Atlanta-based CDC says the case is the first bird flu infection in the United States that has been linked to backyard birds.

A person in Louisiana is in critical condition after contracting bird flu from handling sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

Los Angeles County health officials reported the first human case of bird flu in the area less than a week after a statewide emergency declaration was announced.

The LA County Department of Public Health confirmed the first human case of bird flu in the county, just days after Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a state of emergency over the disease.

Public health officials have confirmed the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in Los Angeles County this year. A statement released on Monday said that the infected person, an adult, was exposed to infected livestock while at a worksite.

Residents who fed their pets the recalled products or other raw meat or dairy products and observe symptoms should immediately contact a veterinarian.

The risk of H5 bird flu remains low in Los Angeles County, but these confirmed cases of the virus in pet cats are a reminder that consuming raw dairy and meat products can lead to severe illness in cats,