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Orange County Coronavirus

OC’s Coronavirus Trends Continue to Worsen as Hospital Staff Are Pushed to Their Limits

JULIE LEOPO, Voice of OC

Fountain Valley Regional Hospital on Dec. 17, 2020.

By Spencer Custodio Spencer Custodio | January 7, 2021
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Orange County medical workers are under increasing stress as coronavirus patients flood hospitals across the county, while recent trends indicate the long feared holiday spike could be here. 


Editor’s Note: As Orange County’s only nonprofit & nonpartisan newsroom, Voice of OC brings you the best, most comprehensive local Coronavirus news absolutely free. No ads, no paywalls. We need your help. Please, make a tax-deductible donation today to support your local news.


More than two dozen were reported dead on Thursday, the latest update from county health care officials. Nearly 340 people have been killed by the virus over the past month.

Newly reported deaths can stretch back for weeks due to reporting delays. 

“As an ER physician, I see people die every single day. The sheer numbers of people dying, it’s been hard. I think one of the harder things in this pandemic has been people that are dying and taking their last breath, most of the time, don’t have their loved ones or families holding their hand,” said Dr. Tanya Dall, who treats patients in the emergency room at Mission Hospital. 

Dall said it’s “heartbreaking” patients are alone and she’s often there with them when they die. 

“I’m the one that holds their hand and tells them that everything will be okay as they take their last breath.” 

It’s a situation Dall and other medical staff face daily. 

“It’s been heavy — it’s been heavy for everybody. It’s not like a terrible experience you have where you go home, go to sleep and wake up to a new day. It’s something you experience over and over,” Dall said. 

The virus has now killed 1,972 people out of 177,733 confirmed cases. 

“It’s definitely a situation we’ve never seen,” Dall said. 

At St. Joseph’s Hospital in Orange, Father Jack Sewell has been offering solace to patients and staff. 

“I’ve gone with the families to the room of their loved one. And we stand outside the room and say the prayer,” Sewell said in a Thursday phone interview.  “We have what we call the Sacrament of the Sick.” 

He said they comfort the sick and pray for people who are in critical condition. 

“So it runs from a high to congratulate people leaving and beating COVID and other illnesses,” Sewell said. “To the sadness with families who lost their loved ones.” 

The virus has already killed more than three times as many people as the flu does on a yearly average. 

For context, Orange County has averaged around 20,000 deaths a year since 2016, including 543 annual flu deaths, according to state health data. 

According to the state death statistics, cancer kills over 4,600 people, heart disease kills over 2,800, more than 1,400 die from Alzheimer’s disease and strokes kill over 1,300 people.

Orange County has already surpassed its yearly average 20,000 deaths, with 21,110 people dead as of November, according to the latest available state data. 

The coronavirus is also spreading like wildfire in OC jails. 

Over 1,000 inmates are infected — more than a 1,200% increase from four weeks ago when 74 inmates were infected. 

So far, the virus has killed one inmate. 

It’s a difficult virus for the medical community to tackle because some people don’t show any symptoms, yet can still spread it. Others feel slight symptoms, like fatigue and a mild fever. 

Others end up in ICUs for days and weeks before making it out, while other people eventually die from the virus. 

“I think one of the more interesting things about the coronavirus is that we’re basically at war with an invisible enemy. You know it’s there in the community, but you can’t see it. And the thing that’s really scary about all of this is that people can be contagious sometimes for four or five days before they get symptoms, if they do get symptoms,” Dall said. 

 The virus isn’t just impacting the elderly or people with preexisting conditions. 

“We see healthy and young people dying every day,” Dall said. 

And she’s seen numerous families have been testing positive in a recent trend stemming from holiday celebrations, she said. 

“One thing I’ve noticed is it’s a lot of families,” Dall said. “I think a lot of spread is coming from family gatherings.” 

As of Thursday, 2,251 people were hospitalized for the virus, including 502 in intensive care units. 

The county Health Care Agency also reported 2,701 new cases Thursday.

State public health officials estimate roughly 12% of newly infected people will be hospitalized within three weeks. 

Sewell said he’s been inspired by the “tenacity” of the nurses and doctors to keep supporting patients and staff through prayer and counseling during the worsening second wave. 

He also said there’s a mutual support system for staff and patients at St. Joseph’s. 

“A number of times when I’ve been called to the room and there’s no family there … I start the prayers and a number of nurses come over and silently bow their heads in the prayers. It’s really a mutual support in how we care for one another and how we care for patients,” Sewell said. 

He also said the Sisters of St. Joseph have been baking thousands of individually wrapped cookies to give out to hospital staff, along with other food. 

Registered nurse Gemma Seidl, who’s also the executive director of acute care services at St. Joseph Hospital, said there’s been an outpouring of community support over the pandemic. 

“I have never seen so much love from the community and response. They would send food,” Seidl said in a Wednesday phone interview, sounding choked up. “It is very humbling that the community is coming together to help us. 

Meanwhile, the high number of patients flooding hospitals is delaying ambulance offload times. 

“There are sometimes 1- paramedic teams and gurneys lining the hallway, waiting to transfer the care of patients. When they do that, they’re not doing what they do best, which is being out there in the community,” Dall said. 

She said could lead to longer 911 response times. 

“It’s almost a ripple effect. When we back up, everybody else backs up. That means there’s going to be longer 911 response times because the EMTs are in the ERs.”

Here’s the latest on the virus numbers across Orange County from county data:
Infections | Hospitalizations & Deaths | City-by-City Data | Demographics





Spencer Custodio is a Voice of OC staff reporter. You can reach him at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerCustodio

What is COVID-19? Do I have it?

INFORMATION View the CDC website. View OC's website. View the latest OC case counts.

TRANSLATIONS See the county's guides in non-English languages. Learn key Coronavirus facts in Vietnamese and Spanish via VietRise. See VietRISE guides in Spanish and Vietnamese.

PROTECTION To limit exposure, the CDC recommends: wash your hands often, avoid close contact with others, cover your mouth and nose with a cloth mask when around others, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

SYMPTOMS The CDC identifies these key symptoms that can occur any time between 2 and 14 days after exposure: Fever or chills, cough and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches,  headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting or diarrhea. If you suspect Coronavirus, CALL your primary medical provider.

EMERGENCY SYMPTOMS If you display any of the following emergency warning signs, seek immediate medical attention: difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion or inability to arouse, or bluish lips or face.

RISK The CDC identifies people most at risk for serious illness: Older adults, and people who have serious chronic medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

What is open?

RESIDENTS The County of Orange offers a list of notices and news on what guidance is given for families and persons.

SCHOOLS The latest information for the county is available from the Orange County Board of Education.

STATE GUIDE TO WHAT IS OPEN A full list of statewide guidelines for what is open and what is closed.

SOCIAL DISTANCING Staying away from other people is called "social distancing." The aim is to SLOW the spread of Coronavirus so as to not overwhelm the nation's health care systems and so that people in need can get help. The Washington Post explains: "The spread (of COVID-19) can be slowed, public health professionals say, if people practice "social distancing" by avoiding public spaces and generally limiting their movement."

What support is available?

STRESS & ANXIETY Stress and anxiety can be triggered by the situation and resources are available to help from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and from the American Psychology Association. Concern over this new virus can make children and families anxious, here are tips on talking with children about COVID-19.

MENTAL HEALTH The County of Orange offers a list of available mental health support services.

FIRST RESPONDERS The County of Orange offers these support services for first responders and health care workers.

BUSINESSES & ORGANIZATIONS The County of Orange offers a list of up-to-date guidelines for business and faith-based/community organizations.

FOOD ASSISTANCE Voice of OC offers a weekly list of available food pantries in Orange County. You can also apply for food benefits over the phone through the CalFresh program at 800-281-9799 or online.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Buses and trains still offer service, but routes have been reduced so make sure to check your route ahead of time.

HOMELESSNESS The County of Orange offers a list of available shelter beds and other resources.

GENERAL FINANCIAL HELP Here are some services:

  •   • Find information on unemployment and disability benefits.
  •   • The Orange County Social Services Agency, despite closing its lobby, is processing online filings for assistance programs. This includes emergency cash assistance for immediate needs like rent or medical bills. The phone line has averaged a 30 minute wait time and offers a callback service, but people are encouraged to apply for benefits online.
  •   • Residents can apply for any of these programs by calling 800-281-9799.

RESTAURANT OWNERS & EMPLOYEES You can find a detailed list of resources available to restaurant owners and employees

How can I help?

VOLUNTEERING A statewide guide offers examples of ways to volunteer safely during Coronavirus. Options include, but are not limited to: donating plasma, making cloth face masks and supporting local food banks. Orange County's Second Harvest Food Bank lists support options online.

DONATIONS An Orange County Community Resilience Fund has been started through the OC Community Foundation to raise money for local nonprofits and volunteer organizations.

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