Local News In Brief : Countywide : Emergency Declared; Blood Donors Sought

The American Red Cross has declared an emergency shortage of Type O blood in Orange County and asked the public to give blood at major donor centers to make up for sluggish donations around Labor Day, a Red Cross spokeswoman said.

The shortage of Type O blood extends into the Los Angeles County area.

The shortage, according to Sylvia Stewart, could force hospitals to postpone elective surgeries and other forms of medical treatment that call for that type of blood.

The emergency shortage was called after regional supplies of O positive dipped to 39% of desired levels and O negative dropped to 42%, according to Dr. Carroll Spurling, executive director of Red Cross Blood Services for Los Angeles and Orange counties.

Stewart said the drop in levels of O type blood was caused by higher demands and fewer late summer donations. Historically, donations during summer months are lower than at other times because of vacations and the absence of college and high school blood drives.

Nearly half of all Southern Californians have Type O blood, Stewart said. Patients in other blood groups use Type O in emergency situations.

Stewart said Red Cross blood centers are at 600 N. Parkcenter Drive in Santa Ana; 16882 Gothard St., Unit A, Huntington Beach; and 669 N. Euclid St. in Anaheim.