(Santa Ana, CA)–- Information provided to the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) indicates that tetrachloroethylene has been detected in subsurface and indoor air samples at 1002 E. 17th Street, Suites A-R in the City of Santa Ana. Sampling of soil and sub-slab gas and indoor air conducted in November and December 2023 by the responsible party and reported to the HCA indicates the presence of chemicals which are considered human carcinogens and/or cause other toxic effects to humans.
One of the chemicals found, Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or PERC), is used primarily as a dry cleaning and degreasing solvent. The United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) has identified cancer and non-cancer hazards based on exposure to PCE. The detected indoor air levels of PCE within the buildings located at this address exceed USEPA’s long and short-term exposure screening levels.
Another chemical found, only in subsurface samples, Trichloroethylene (TCE), is used primarily as a degreasing agent in various industrial processes. The USEPA Region 9 has identified cancer and non-cancer hazards based on exposure to TCE in indoor air. A specific vulnerable population is women in the first trimester of pregnancy, due to the potential for causing heart defects in the developing fetus. Long-term exposure may lead to increased risk of kidney or other cancers. The detected indoor air levels of TCE within the building located at this address exceed the USEPA urgent response category.
Measures to reduce the risk of breathing in PCE and TCE could include increased ventilation, sealing openings in the floor, treating the indoor air or temporary relocation. The levels detected at the business may pose a risk to some individuals on this and adjacent properties; however, are not likely to pose a risk to the surrounding neighborhoods or the public in general.
The HCA is responsible for providing this information to the local news media pursuant to California Health and Safety Code section 25180.7(d). The intent of Proposition 65 - Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 is to protect the public and its drinking water resource and to inform the public about potential exposures to chemicals.
If you have any questions you may contact: Chris Carson, Project Manager – Environmental Solutions Group at (714) 244-3662 or ccarson@partneresi.com Geniece Higgins, Supervising Hazardous Materials Specialist at (714) 433-6260 or ghiggins@ochca.com.
(Santa Ana, CA)– The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) invites the community to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at convenient locations throughout Orange County (OC). The public is encouraged to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing medication misuse. Nearby collection sites can be located at: www.DEATakeBack.com. "This event provides an excellent opportunity for individuals to clear out old medications while safeguarding loved ones from potential harm, addressing a crucial aspect of public health," said Dr. Veronica Kelley, Director of the HCA. "Pharmaceutical drugs, when misused, can be as hazardous as street drugs, contributing to the nationwide opioid crisis. National Take Back Day is a proactive step towards building a safer and healthier future for Orange County.” This initiative addresses a crucial public safety and health concern. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day aligns with the HCA’s commitment to the well-being of the OC community, promoting the responsible disposal of medications to prevent misuse and combat opioid addiction. National Prescription Drug Take Back Day serves as a vital reminder of our collective responsibility in keeping our communities safe. To find a convenient Take Back drop-off location, please visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) website at www.DEATakeback.com or call 1 (800) 882-9539. The drop-off service is both free and anonymous. For further information on medication misuse prevention efforts in Orange County or to discover year-round safe disposal options, please visit: www.ochealthinfo.com/adept.
(Santa Ana, CA) –Due to the risk of lead poisoning, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) urges users of the Vietnamese hemorrhoid ointment called Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) to immediately stop using the ointment and to get their blood tested for lead. The alert follows the death of a woman in Sacramento who developed severe lead poisoning after using the ointment, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The CDPH said the ointment, purchased in Vietnam and shipped to the US, contained 4% (four percent) lead. Exposure to any amount of lead can be harmful.
The HCA, in collaboration with the CDPH, urges anyone who used Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) to immediately: 1.) Stop using the ointment. 2.) Place it in a plastic bag, seal the bag and call (510) 620-3620 or email toxoutbreak@cdph.ca.gov. 3.) See your health care provider and get your blood tested for lead (venous blood test). Also because other household members could have come into contact with the ointment, all household members should have their blood lead tested. Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning. 4.) Residents who have additional questions can call HCA’s Health Referral Line at 1-800-564-8448.
Anyone who has used the ointment can download a letter to take to their health care provider with instructions for blood lead testing. The letters are available from the CDPH in English by clicking here and in Vietnamese by clicking here. The CDPH has set up a website with more information https://go.cdph.ca.gov/Alert-Lead-April-2024.
Health care providers who have questions can contact California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for clinical guidance on lead poisoning. See Health-Based Guidelines for Blood Lead Levels in Adults (PDF) for specific recommendations based on your patient's blood lead level results.zzz
The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is a regional interdisciplinary health jurisdiction and an accredited health department, charged with protecting and promoting individual, family and community health through partnership and coordination of public and private sector resources. Visit www.ochealthinfo.com to learn more about services and resources.
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Cơ Quan Đặc Trách Y Tế Công Cộng Quận Cam Kêu Gọi Người Tiêu Thụ Dầu Chữa Bệnh Trĩ Việt Nam Ngưng Sử Dụng và Nên Đi Khám Nghiệm Y Tế
(Santa Ana, CA) – Do nguy cơ ngộ độc chất chì, Cơ Quan Đặc Trách Y Tế Công Cộng OC (HCA) kêu gọi những người dùng loại dầu để chữa trị bệnh trĩ Việt Nam có tên gọi là Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) phải lập tức ngưng sử dụng loại dầu này và phải đi thử máu của họ để xem có bị ngộ độc chất chì. Nguy cơ theo sau cái chết của một phụ nữ ở Sacramento người đã bị nhiễm độc chất chì nặng sau khi dùng loại dầu này, theo phúc trình của Bộ Y Tế Tiểu Bang California (CDPH). Cơ Quan CDPH cho biết loại dầu, mua tại Việt Nam và mang sang Hoa Kỳ, có chứa 4% (bốn phần trăm) chất chì. Phô bày với bất cứ số lượng chất chì nào đều có thể bị nguy hại.
Cơ Quan HCA, củng với sự hợp tác của CDPH, kêu gọi bất cứ ai đã dùng Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu (Castor Oil Hemorrhoid Extract) phải lập tức: 1.) Ngưng ngay việc sử dụng loại dầu này. 2.) Để nó vào trong một bao nhựa, đóng kỹ bao lại và gọi (510) 620-3620 hay điện thư toxoutbreak@cdph.ca.gov. 3.) Đến gặp bác sĩ gia đình của quý vị và xin thử máu cho loại chì (venous blood test). Đồng thời bởi vì những thân nhân khác trong gia đình có thể đã bị đụng chạm vào chất dầu, tất cả những thân nhân trong gia đình đều phải đi thử máu xem có chất chì Đặc biệt là trẻ em dễ bị nguy cơ ngộ độc bởi chất chì. 4.) Các cư dân có thêm những câu hỏi khác có thể gọi Đường Giây Giới Thiệu Chăm Sóc Sức Khoẻ của cơ quan HCA (HCA’s Health Referral Line) ở số 1-800-564-8448.
Bất cứ ai đã dùng loại dầu này có thể tải xuống lá thư và mang đến cho bác sĩ gia đình với lời yêu cầu cho thử máu về chất chì. Lá thư có sẵn từ CDPH bằng tiếng Anh xin nhấn vào đây và bằng tiếng Việt xin nhấn vào đây. Cơ Quan CDPH đã thiết lập trang mạng với thêm những thông tin https://go.cdph.ca.gov/Alert-Lead-April-2024.
Các Bác sĩ gia đình nếu ai có những thắc mắc có thể liên lạc với Cơ Quan Kiểm Soát Chất Độc California tại số 1-800-222-1222 cho những chỉ dẫn y tế về sự ngộ độc bởi chất chì. Xin xem Health-Based Guidelines for Blood Lead Levels in Adults (PDF) cho những đề nghị đặc biệt căn cứ trên kết quả mức độ ngộ độc chất chì trong máu bệnh nhân của quý vị.zzz
Về CƠ QUAN ĐẶC TRÁCH Y TẾ CÔNG CỘNG OC Cơ Quan Đặc Trách Y Tế Công Cộng OC (HCA) là cơ quan y tế có thẩm quyền khu vực và là cơ quan y tế được công nhận, đặc trách việc bảo vệ và phát động sự lành mạnh cho cá nhân, gia đình và cộng đồng xuyên qua sự hợp tác điều hành các tài nguyên thuộc các lãnh vực công và tư. Xin vào www.ochealthinfo.com để biết thêm các dịch vụ và tài nguyên.
The California Department of Public Health is issuing this Health Advisory to notify health care providers, laboratories and public health departments that a woman in Sacramento developed severe lead poisoning and died in March 2024 after using a hemorrhoid ointment from Vietnam called, Cao Bôi Trĩ Cây Thầu Dầu. The woman purchased the product on Facebook and a relative in Vietnam shipped it to the U.S. Testing of the product found that it contained 4% lead (39,000 ppm), a highly dangerous amount of lead. If healthcare providers have patients that have used this hemorrhoid ointment, urge them to stop using it and order a venous blood lead level (BLL) test immediately. Contact California Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for clinical guidance on lead poisoning. See Health-Based Guidelines for BLL in Adults for specific recommendations based on the patient's BLL results.
The CDC released a Health Advisory related to the investigation and response to confirmed human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) following exposure to infected dairy cattle.
The case was a farm worker on a commercial dairy farm in Texas. The individual developed a mild illness with conjunctivitis but no other symptoms and subsequently tested positive for HPAI A(H5N1) virus. This is the second person to test positive for HAPI A(H5N1) virus in the United States; the first case was identified in Colorado in 2022. This is also the first report of apparent spread of an HPAI virus from cow to human. More info...
(Santa Ana, CA) - The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has posted the 2024-26 Orange County Community Health Improvement Plan (OC CHIP) for public review and comment at http://www.ochealthinfo.com/occhip through April 24, 2024. The plan lays out assessments, goals, objectives, and strategies for six priority areas over the next three years and is available to review in threshold languages.
The health of the Orange County (OC) community continues to fare well compared to other California counties. The County Health Rankings (www.countyhealthrankings.org) also notes that the physical and mental health of people in Orange County fares better than the average county in the nation. Despite that, there are some troubling trends that impact local communities, including:
14.6% of OC adults report experiencing serious psychological distress in the past year.
Areas in both north and south OC experienced increases in drug and alcohol mortality rates over the past five years.
24.2% of OC adults are obese and more than 50% are overweight.
Among OC adults, 12.3% report having difficulty finding specialty care.
Through several community meetings and workgroup formations, members from public and private sector organizations collaborated to identify key focus areas to improve the health of everyone in Orange County. Two of the six focus areas they identified address overall behavioral health topics: Mental Health and Substance Use. The remaining four areas highlight health topics identified as the most pressing to work on in the next three years: Diabetes and Obesity, Housing and Homelessness, Care Navigation, and Economic Disparities.
ABOUT THE OC HEALTH CARE AGENCY The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is a regional interdisciplinary health jurisdiction and an accredited health department, charged with protecting and promoting individual, family and community health through partnership and coordination of public and private sector resources. Visit www.ochealthinfo.com to learn more about services and resources.
Any cases of meningococcal disease, either suspect or confirmed, should be reported to OCHCA immediately at 714-834-8180.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing this Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to alert healthcare providers to an increase in invasive meningococcal disease, mainly attributable to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup Y (Figure). In 2023, 422 cases were reported in the United States, the highest annual number of cases reported since 2014. As of March 25, 2024, 143 cases have been reported to CDC for the current calendar year, an increase of 62 cases over the 81 reported as of this date in 2023. A specific meningococcal strain, sequence type (ST) 1466, is responsible for most (101 of 148, 68%) serogroup Y cases with available sequence type data that were reported across the United States in 2023. Cases caused by this strain are disproportionately occurring in people ages 30–60 years (65%), Black or African American people (63%), and people with HIV (15%). In addition, most cases of invasive meningococcal disease caused by ST-1466 in 2023 had a clinical presentation other than meningitis: 64% presented with bacteremia, and at least 4% presented with septic arthritis. Of 94 patients with known outcomes, 17 (18%) died; this case-fatality rate is higher than the historical case-fatality rate of 11% reported for serogroup Y cases in 2017–2021. Healthcare providers should 1) have a heightened suspicion for meningococcal disease, particularly among populations disproportionately affected by the current increase, 2) be aware that patients may present without symptoms typical of meningitis, and 3) ensure that all people recommended for meningococcal vaccination, including people with HIV, are up to date for meningococcal vaccines.
