California:
Bird Flu Spreads, Threatening Another Pandemic

Jan 20, 2025

A strain of bird flu, called H5N1, is spreading in poultry and dairy farms in California. Several million birds have been reported to have been infected at chicken and turkey farms. More than 700 dairy herds—71% of all herds in the state—have also been affected by H5N1.

The outbreak is not limited to California—and not just to birds and cows either. The virus has also been detected in more than 200 dairy farms in 15 other U.S. states. And so far, about 70 people in the U.S. have also been infected.

In December, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered testing of raw milk in 13 states. But experts point out that government officials have been looking away from the actual hubs of virus transmission to humans: California dairy farms. Of the several dozen human cases that have been reported in California, almost all of them are dairy workers. And the real number is undoubtedly much higher: dairy workers say that they have seen many co-workers come to work with flu-like symptoms. These workers, typically low-paid and many of them undocumented, don’t want to miss work and get fired.

In the meantime, farm operators have been largely ignoring even the simplest preventive measures, such as distributing protective gear to their workers.

“The USDA has dropped the ball, big time,” said Dr. Michael Osterholm of the University of Minnesota. “I think it was out of fear to protect the industry.” Just like during the COVID-19 pandemic, when government officials put company profits above the safety of workers and allowed companies to ignore protective measures in workplaces.

Profit above everything else: it’s a symptom of the disease called capitalism that has taken over the economy.

Another symptom of this disease is budget cuts in government services—so that the politicians running the government can funnel more tax money to their patrons, big capitalists. So, California’s ONLY lab that has authorization to confirm bird flu cases, the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory in Davis, has been severely understaffed.

After the bird flu outbreak started last March, most of the lab’s experienced workers and their supervisor resigned, pointing to overwork and low pay. Workers told the Los Angeles Times that understaffing has led to quality control missteps. A current lab worker, Victoria Ontiveros, said, “We are stretched so thin that mistakes can happen. I was so tired and mentally drained.”

We are now in peak flu season, where viruses find ample opportunity to mingle and develop new strains—which raises the possibility of a new strain of bird flu that can pass from one human to another. Then we might end up with another deadly global pandemic like COVID-19, experts say.

If we do, it will be yet another predictable—and preventable—pandemic, let loose on humanity by the workings of the capitalist system.