(Santa Ana, CA) – The County Health Officer today issued a Declaration of Health Emergency in Orange County due to rapidly spreading virus infections causing record numbers of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits. Additionally, a Proclamation of Local Emergency has been declared, which allows the County to access State and Federal resources to address the situation and seek mutual aid from surrounding counties.

The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is monitoring regional hospital capacity and engaging hospital and health care systems that are seeing very high patient volumes in their emergency departments and inpatient pediatric units.
 
“While there isn’t a vaccine against RSV, we want OC residents to know there are many ways to protect children and at-risk individuals. Following preventive measures, including remaining up to date with other vaccinations such as flu and COVID-19, can help reduce the severity of disease and can help reduce the burden on hospitals this fall and winter” said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer and HCA's Chief Medical Officer. “Our best shot at protecting ourselves and our children from respiratory illnesses continues to be the same things we practiced throughout the pandemic including the use of masks when indoors around others and staying home when you are sick.”
 
Seek medical attention immediately if your child is showing warning signs, which may include having trouble breathing, showing signs of dehydration (i.e., no urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears), has a persistent or high fever, or looks or acts very sick. Call your primary care provider, pediatrician, urgent care or hospital to help navigate steps to recommended care before your visit.

Preventative actions:

• Do not go to school or work when you are symptomatic. 
• Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick, and when you are sick.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
• Mask when indoors or large group settings.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after eating and using the bathroom.
• Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines to prevent complications from these viral illnesses.

Additionally, parents and caregivers should keep young children with acute respiratory illnesses out of childcare, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19.

For more information on RSV prevention, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/about/prevention.html.
 

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(Santa Ana, CA) – Due to record numbers of pediatric hospitalizations and daily emergency room visits for respiratory infections, the County Health Officer and OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Medical Directors are strongly encouraging Orange County residents to follow disease preventive measures.
 
“Orange County is seeing very high numbers respiratory illness, specifically Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) severely impacting capacity in our pediatric hospitals,” said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer. and HCA's Chief Medical Officer. “RSV can severely affect young infants and children and we are encouraging residents to take precautions, especially with groups of children.”
 
Seek medical attention immediately if your child is showing warning signs, which may include having trouble breathing, showing signs of dehydration (i.e., no urine in over 8 hours, dark urine, very dry mouth and no tears), has a persistent or high fever, or looks or acts very sick. Call your primary care provider, pediatrician, urgent care or hospital to help navigate steps to recommended care before your visit.

Preventative actions:

• Do not go to school or work when you are symptomatic. 
• Avoid close contact such as kissing, hugging, and sharing cups or eating utensils with people who are sick, and when you are sick.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your upper shirt sleeve, not your hands.
• Mask when indoors or large group settings.
• Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after eating and using the bathroom.
• Get your flu shot and COVID-19 vaccines to prevent complications from these viral illnesses.

Additionally, parents and caregivers should keep young children with acute respiratory illnesses out of childcare, even if they have tested negative for COVID-19.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) infections occur primarily during the fall and winter cold and flu season, causing bronchiolitis and pneumonia in children under one year of age and placing infants, young children, and older adults, with chronic medical conditions, at risk for more severe disease. Annually, RSV leads to approximately 58,000 hospitalizations with 100-500 deaths among children younger than 5 years old and 177,000 hospitalizations with 14,000 deaths among adults, aged 65 years or older. 
 
Providers are encouraged to review California Department of Public Health Alert here and American Academy of Pediatrics guidance options here. 

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Avian influenza A(H5N1) has been identified in United States wild birds, commercial poultry, and backyard flocks since January 2022. Recently, the first confirmed cases of H5N1 avian influenza infection were identified in wild birds in Orange County.

(Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) encourages community members to drop-off expired, unused or unwanted prescription medications on “National Take Back Day” Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at numerous locations throughout Orange County (OC).

“This is a great opportunity for individuals to clean out their medicine cabinets while helping to safeguard the health and well-being of those they love,” said Dr. Veronica Kelley, Chief of HCA’s Mental Health and Recovery Services. “Pharmaceutical medication can be just as dangerous as street drugs when taken without a prescription or a doctor’s supervision. The opioid crisis is nationwide and here in Orange County. Participating in events like National Take Back Day makes an impact.”

This initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. The National Take Back Event supports HCA’s commitment to the safety and health of the OC community by encouraging the public to remove unneeded medications from homes to prevent misuse and opioid addiction from ever starting.

The Take Back Day event helps to draw attention to this ongoing issue and reminds us that together we can keep our communities safe. To locate a Take Back drop site near you, please visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s website at www.DEATakeback.com or call 1 (800) 882-9539. Drop-off service is free and anonymous.

To learn more about medication misuse prevention efforts in Orange County or to find local safe disposal locations available year-round, visit: www.ochealthinfo.com/adept.

To help keep everyone safe, Take Back drop-off sites will follow local COVID-19 guidelines and regulations.

(Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has received confirmation that six birds have tested positive for Avian Influenza A (H5N1), also known as Bird Flu, in Orange County. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) recommends that hunters take precaution to limit the possibility of spread of infection to humans, and that the public stay clear of any sick or dead birds they may find.
 
“Avian flu is present in Orange County and while the risk of transmission to humans is low, residents should stay away from any dead birds.” says Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, County Health Officer, and HCA’s Chief Medical Officer. “Bird flu is very contagious among birds and can sicken and even kill certain domesticated bird species including chickens, ducks and turkeys.”
 
Residents are advised to follow these preventive steps:

• Avoid contact with wild birds, even if they don’t look sick.
• Avoid surfaces that appear contaminated with saliva or feces from wild or domestic birds.
• Keep dogs and other pets away from wild birds.
• If you become ill after unprotected exposure to a sick or dead bird contact your healthcare provider so that you can be evaluated.
• Bird Owners are advised to follow additional safety measures, prevent contact of their birds with wild birds, and immediately report any sick birds (view more information HERE).
• Report unusual occurrences of sick and dead wild birds to California Department of Fish and Wildlife Mortality Reporting, online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Monitoring/Mortality-Report.

To report an unusual number of sick/dead commercial birds, please call California Department of Food and Agriculture 866-922-2473. Dead birds can also be reported online to westnile.ca.gov/report.
 
The CDC is closely monitoring current Avian Flu cases and posting updates on their website: Bird Flu Current Situation Summary | Avian Influenza (Flu) (cdc.gov). For more information on the Avian Flu in Orange County visit HCA’s website HERE.

(Santa Ana, CA) – New COVID-19 (bivalent) boosters for children ages 5 and older are now authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The updated COVID-19 vaccines are Pfizer-BioNTech for children ages 5 through 11 years, and Moderna for children and adolescents ages 6 through 17. An updated COVID-19 vaccine schedule for babies 6 months through adults 18+ years is now available, here.

Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines contain added spike protein components to help restore protection that has since waned from prior vaccination, targeting recent Omicron variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading. The Moderna and Pfizer bivalent vaccine is authorized for administration at least two months following the primary series or booster completion.

Orange County has a Test Positivity Percent of 6.4% and 125 persons are hospitalized with COVID-19, representing a decrease over the past several weeks. A spike in European COVID-19 cases, however, has scientists in the U.S. urging Americans to take preventative measures as Europe has often been a precursor for what's to happen in the United States.
 
As the weather cools and more people spend time indoors, where the virus spreads more rapidly, the risk for resurgence increases. There are many ways individuals actions can protect the OC community by following CDC prevention recommendations, found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html
 
FDA’s authorization of the updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine booster for the younger age group, and CDC’s recommendation for use, are critical next steps to help provide increased protection – especially against severe COVID-19 disease and death.
 
Ask your primary care providers for pediatric bivalent boosters. You can also find information on vaccine locations by visiting www.vaccines.gov or www.myturn.ca.gov. Scheduling appointments can also be done directly by visiting www.othena.com.

For more information on the COVID-19 case counts in Orange County and other resources, visit www.ochealthinfo.com/covid.

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(Santa Ana, CA) – The last day of Hispanic Heritage Month, October 15, has been designated National Latinx AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD). Since 2003, this designation has been to promote the testing and early diagnosis of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in response to the impact of HIV and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) on Hispanic/Latino communities.

By raising awareness, NLAAD encourages Latinx people to:

• Get tested and know their HIV status;
• Use condoms for protection from HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs);
• Know prevention options if HIV-negative, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may help protect you from getting HIV; and
• Learn about new treatment options to get and stay virally suppressed, which means having an undetectable viral load, if HIV-positive.

This year’s campaign theme “You Choose!” highlights new developments in the scientific field of HIV and new HIV treatment and prevention options. These advances include the recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved injectable medication administered once a month for HIV treatment or once every two (2) months for HIV prevention.

"HIV disproportionately affects the Latinx community in Orange County," says April Orozco, OC Health Care Agency (HCA), Deputy Chief of Public Health Services (PHS). "Through the PHS team response and community-based partnerships, we are working collectively on strategies to End the HIV Epidemic by increasing community engagement, promoting HIV testing to help with early diagnosis and rapid treatment as well as implementing preventative measures."

While the Latinx population represents about 34% of the total population in Orange County, they represented more than half (or 52%) of those diagnosed with HIV in 2021. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that an additional 950 OC residents do not know that they are living with HIV.

"As of December 2021, there were 6,772 persons living with HIV locally," said Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, HCA Chief Medical Officer and County Health Officer. "Amplifying the NLAAD campaign allows us to emphasize the importance of testing and to draw attention to new options for HIV prevention, testing, and treatment."

Many of these people had been to an emergency room, a community health center, or their doctor but were not tested for HIV. Therefore, the Latinx community must have routine HIV testing as part of their medical care.
 
Adolescents and adults should get an HIV test at least once as part of their routine health care, and those at increased risk of HIV should be tested regularly. Knowing your HIV status is vital to help prevent new HIV infections.

 Ending the HIV epidemic Initiative requires everyone to do their part. If you have never been tested for HIV, ask your doctor for an HIV test. Free, confidential HIV testing is available at the agencies listed below.

• APAIT Health Center: Call (714) 636-1349 or visit www.apaitonline.org/ for more information. 
  • Testing is offered Monday - Friday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  • Extended testing hours on Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• OC Health Care Agency/17th Street Testing, Treatment and Care Clinic: Call (714) 834-8787 to make an appointment or visit http://www.ochealthinfo.com/std for more information. Walk-ins are accepted based on availability. Clinic hours:
  • Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Radiant Health Centers: Call (949) 809-8764 or visit www.radianthealthcenters.org/ for more information. Walk-ins are accepted. Hours:
  • Tuesday and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
  • Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.,
  • Friday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and
  • Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
• The LGBT Center Orange County: For more information or an appointment, call (714) 953-5428 or visit www.lgbtcenteroc.org/. Testing is offered:
• Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.,
• Wednesday and Thursday, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  

For more testing sites and information about HIV services in OC, please call (714) 834-8335 or visit www.ochealthinfo.com/phs/about/dcepi/hiv/sites. To list or find NLAAD events visit www.nlaad.org.

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Influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease have been increasing in Orange County for the last several weeks.  Compared to pre-pandemic epidemiology this is an early start to the season for both these respiratory viruses.  Australia’s influenza season often provides a harbinger for our upcoming season; their recently-concluded season was the most severe in five years.