Poultry from a chicken breeder in Mississippi has tested positive for bird flu, according to state officials.

The MBAH said the birds were "depopulated to prevent the spread" and that the area was quarantined.

The affected poultry wasn't circulated into the food system, the MBAH said, and there's no risk to food safely from bird flu when chicken and eggs are "handled and cooked properly."

The CDC has reported that more than 125 million cases of bird flu have been detected in wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry, and backyard flocks since January 2022.

On Dec. 18, the CDC said a Louisiana person became the first of the 61 reported human cases since April to be hospitalized for a severe case of bird flu.

Thirty-four of those cases of bird flu in humans were reported in California.

Newsom said his intent in the proclamation was to free up government resources for rapid response.

Bird flu was first detected in wild bird populations in South Carolina and California in 2022 and first reported in dairy cows in March 2024 in Texas and Kansas, the governor's statement reported.

In August 2024, bird flu was detected in dairy cows in central California, prompting state public health officials to take action.

"While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of the virus," Newsom said.