Body (Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has confirmed a COVID-related pediatric death in Orange County. In December, a child under the age of 5 died of complications related to COVID-19 infection. “We have lost another precious young life to this terrible virus; it is our third...

Body Variant surveillance using whole genome sequencing shows that the proportion of Omicron variant increased from 30% for the week ending December 21, 2021, to 83% for the week ending December 28, 2021. Cases across the county, state, and country, continue to rise exponentially. Hospitalizations in Orange County have risen as...

Body (Santa Ana, CA) – With COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surging in Orange County, the OC Health Agency strongly urges residents and visitors to strictly follow proper masking, proper hand-hygiene, physical distancing, and other non-medical preventative measures to minimize further spread of this highly transmissible variant. Between January 6 and January...

Body (Santa Ana, CA) – In anticipation of increased gatherings during the Lunar New Year holiday and due to high COVID-19 hospitalizations, the OC Health Agency urges residents and visitors to strictly follow proper masking, proper hand-hygiene, physical distancing, and other non-medical preventative measures to minimize further spread of the highly...

Body (Santa Ana, CA) – On January 31, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued approval of the Moderna vaccine for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals age 18 and older. The vaccine will be marketed as Spikevax and had previously only been available under emergency use authorization. “This is...

Body (Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency’s Environmental Health Division advises the public against consuming food and beverages made or sold by street food vendors that do not possess a valid health permit. Mobile food facilities and street vendors that operate with a health permit are expected to...

Body On January 28, 2022, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) released its recommendations on the use of two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV) in adults, the 15 valent PCV15 (VAXNEUVANCE) and the 20 valent PCV20 (PREVNAR 20). The new recommendations are as follows: Adults aged ≥65 years: Adults...

Body (Santa Ana, CA) – The California Department of Public Health has revised its Guidance for the Use of Face Masks as COVID-19 cases decline across the state. Effective February 16, universal masking will be required in specified settings and unvaccinated persons will continue to be required to mask in all...

Body OCHCA wants to make all health care and laboratory providers aware of new temporary modifications to certain COVID-19 reporting requirements. The California State Health Officer order issued today can be found here . Health care providers must report hospitalization and/or death of a patient due to COVID-19 within one working...

Body (Santa Ana, California) – The OC Health Care Agency, Environmental Health Division, has closed the ocean water area of the west end of Newport Bay from 8th Street due to a sewage spill. The sewage spill of approximately 35,000 to 50,000 gallons was caused by a blockage of a sewer...