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San Francisco health officials say H5N1 risk to general public remains low but monitoring continues
Summary
Public health staff briefed the Health Commission on avian influenza A (H5N1) epidemiology, local surveillance and preparedness planning; officials said infections have so far been concentrated among dairy and poultry workers and that the city is preparing scenarios in case of further change.
San Francisco health staff told the Health Commission on Jan. 6 that highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) is circulating widely among animals but that, to date, the risk to the general public in the city remains low.
Dr. George Hahn, director of the Communicable Disease Section, said the current H5N1 strain reached North America in 2021 and has since caused outbreaks in poultry and, beginning in 2024, in U.S. dairy herds. "To date, the virus has not been able to spread easily from person to person," Hahn said. He added that most confirmed human infections in the United States have been mild, and that antiviral medications appear effective against the strain now circulating.
Why it matters: California has seen widespread animal outbreaks, and state and federal agencies have taken steps such as a state of emergency declaration in California to speed response. San Francisco health officials emphasized local surveillance and planning so the city can…
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