CDPH requests $13.5M for H5N1 and Marburg readiness; EMSA outlines wildfire medical response

The California Department of Public Health told the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Health it is requesting $13.5 million in the current year to strengthen surveillance, laboratory and health-care facility preparedness for human H5N1 cases and to monitor and prepare for potential Marburg virus cases.

CDPH emergency briefing: Melissa Relis, assistant deputy director at CDPH's Center for Preparedness and Response, described the request as funding to "lessen the spread of H5N1 in humans and prevent severe disease," to increase monitoring and to prepare for potential Marburg cases. Relis told the committee that California has had livestock (dairy cattle) cases and human cases — the department reported 38 confirmed positive human cases in California at the time of testimony — and that CDPH is coordinating with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services and local health departments.

CDPH said the requested funds will support communications and outreach, surge laboratory capacity (including genomic sequencing and raw-milk testing), targeted farm‑worker monitoring, testing and distribution of PPE and antivirals, and establishment of a Northern California level‑3 assessment center. Susan Finley, a CDPH deputy, said federal partners (CDC and USDA) have been active partners and that the department continues to coordinate with them.

PPE distribution and capacity: Relis said CDPH had distributed roughly 4.6 million pieces of PPE to date (requests were handled through local and community organizations) and encouraged local jurisdictions to notify CDPH if additional supplies were needed. She told the subcommittee that the department is actively supporting local health jurisdictions and health-care facilities with guidance on infection prevention, testing and clinical preparedness.

Wildfire medical response: The Emergency Medical Services Authority (EMSA) described deployments during recent Southern California wildfire activity. Tim Reed, EMSA's chief of disaster medical services, said EMSA deployed California Medical Assistance Teams to fire base camps and evacuation shelters, staffed by doctors, registered nurses, EMTs and logistics personnel. During one Southern California response EMSA teams treated 530 patients, transported 31 patients to hospitals, dispensed over 12,500 over‑the‑counter items and about 10,000 pharmaceuticals. Fire-season totals across multiple incidents included almost 1,800 patients treated and over 77,000 over‑the‑counter items dispensed.

Local support and technical assistance: CDPH representatives told the committee their role in chemical- and hazard-related incidents (for example, the Moss Landing lithium-ion battery storage fires) is primarily to provide technical assistance and review methods and results with local health officers and environmental health teams. CDPH said it will continue to work closely with local health departments, which retain responsibility for testing and local public‑health decision‑making.

Committee follow-up: Members asked for a detailed accounting of CDPH spending to date on the H5N1 response and for clearer settlement-projection details in the opioid-settlement discussion (a separate item). CDPH agreed to provide additional spending and operational detail to the committee.