Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in California after the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus was found in dairy cows in the southern part of the state. Although experts say the risk to the public is low, this new development has raised concerns.

The H5N1 virus, known for its ability to spread among birds, has been making its way through US dairy herds since March, affecting at least 16 states. While no human-to-human spread has been reported so far, there have been 61 cases...