(KRON) -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a State of Emergency in response to bird flu on Wednesday. The declaration comes following the spread of avian influenza in 16 states, including California and outside the Central Valley. The declaration, according to Newsom's office, is meant to streamline the state's response to bird flu. This latest action from the governor comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California. This signals "the need to further expand monitoring and build on the coordinated statewide approach to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus," according to a statement from the governor's office. What is ‘coffee badging?’ New workplace trend seen as protest to return-to-office push After first being detected in Texas and Kansas back in March, the virus has spread in 16 states among dairy cattle. To date, however, no person-to-person spread of bird flu has been detected in California. According to Newsom's office, nearly all infected individuals in California had exposure to infected cattle. California has the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation, according to the governor's office. “This proclamation is a targeted action to ensure government agencies have the resources and flexibility they need to respond quickly to this outbreak. Building on California’s testing and monitoring system — the largest in the nation — we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information. While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.” -- Gov. Gavin Newsom The declaration of a State of Emergency will provide state and local agencies with additional flexibility around staffing, contracting, and other rules to support the state's response, Newsom's office said.