HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont has proclaimed Tuesday One Health Day in Connecticut, recognizing an approach to public health built on the idea that the health of people, animals and the environment is closely linked, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The Department of Public Health, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said they apply the approach to problems including rabies, mosquito-borne diseases, avian influenza, food safety and antibiotic resistance. The approach brings together public health workers, veterinarians, farmers, biologists and environmental scientists.

"No single agency can do this alone," said Public Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani.

On bird flu, the agencies said the energy and environmental department and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have tracked the virus in wild birds and other wildlife since 2006, while the Agriculture Department and the state veterinarian work with poultry and dairy farmers on biosecurity. The health department said that although a death linked to avian influenza was reported in Washington state, the current public health risk remains low, and properly cooked poultry and eggs and pasteurized milk remain safe to eat.

The health department said it uses DNA testing to look for the spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, a germ that resists strong antibiotics and can infect both people and pets, in animal health care settings.

The agencies also pointed to the effects of a changing climate. Connecticut exceeded federal health-based standards for ozone, or smog, on 17 days during the summer and activated its Extreme Hot Weather Protocol three times in 2026, according to the release. The health department said it is reviewing heat-related illness data from the season to guide future preparedness.

This brief was drafted by AI from a public agency or political press release and published by The New England Signal. Why we use AI for stories like this one.