Monkeypox believed to have made its way to Orange County
Good morning. It’s Friday, July 1 and the long Fourth of July holiday weekend is upon us. I’m Carol Cormaci, bringing you today’s TimesOC newsletter with the latest roundup of news and events.
The Orange County Health Care Agency on Thursday announced its first presumptive case of monkeypox in the county, assuring residents the individual is being isolated while officials await confirmation from the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Monkeypox, as you may have heard in recent news reports, belongs to the same virus family as smallpox but causes milder symptoms. A helpful tutorial can be found in this news story explaining the virus and where it is spreading by the Associated Press. Monkeypox originates in wild animals like rodents and primates and can jump to people. The disease is endemic in central and west Africa.
The AP reports that this year is the first time monkeypox appears to be spreading among people who didn’t travel to Africa. Most of the cases involve men who have had sex with men.
According to the report, “patients experience only fever, body aches, chills and fatigue. People with more serious illness may develop a rash and lesions on the face and hands that can spread to other parts of the body.”
My colleague Sara Cardine reports in her story about Orange County’s announcement that the agency didn’t divulge the city in which the patient resides, nor where the individual might have been exposed to the communicable disease. In an email she received from Dr. Christopher Zimmerman, a physician with the agency’s Communicable Disease Control Division, he confirmed the person “had a rash that was considered compatible with monkeypox” and met epidemiologic criteria provided by the CDC.
Los Angeles County on June 2 announced its first suspected case of monkeypox. That infected individual, an adult, traveled domestically prior to the diagnosis, L.A. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said. Since that announcement, 29 more probable or confirmed cases have been identified. The state’s first suspected case, announced in late May, lives in Sacramento County and had recently traveled abroad. California, as of Thursday, had 89 cases. So it is spreading, but experts say the risk to the general population is low.
MORE NEWS
— Former professional wrestler Joseph Meehan (he went by the name Joey Ryan in the wrestling world), who has been accused by several women of sexual misconduct, worked briefly on the Jungle Cruise attraction at Disneyland before he was recently dismissed, park officials said Wednesday. Hugo Martín has the full story here.
— Following the release of a grand jury report critical of the Orange County Power Authority’s executive leadership, Brian Probolsky remains the chief executive officer of the community choice energy program, reports my colleague Gabriel San Román. A member of the Authority’s board during a meeting Thursday requested a closed session review be scheduled of Probolsky’s future with the agency.
— A 10-month-old baby girl who ingested a foreign substance in Costa Mesa that left her hospitalized was recovering this week, while her father was behind bars and charged with child abuse. Jovany Armando Encisosolorio pleaded not guilty to the felony count of child abuse and denied a sentencing enhancement for causing great bodily injury on a child younger than 5. Encisosolorio is due back in court next Thursday for a pretrial hearing.
— In business news, Bed Bath & Beyond, which operates stores in the O.C. cities of Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Buena Park, La Habra, Yorba Linda and Seal Beach, has continued to see losses and dumped its chief executive after quarterly earnings were announced Wednesday. “Stick a fork in them,” one analyst said. Deep discounts on goods, particularly on house brands, are expected.
LIFE & LEISURE
— During a two-hour event held Wednesday, Laguna Beach celebrated its 95th birthday as a city. Hundreds passed through the cobblestone area of Main Beach Park to mix and mingle with their fellow community members. The two-hour event featured live music performances by the Laguna Beach Community Jazz Band and the Surftones. In her remarks, Mayor Sue Kempf noted that when the city incorporated on June 29, 1927, it boasted a population of 1,900 people (it’s estimated at over 22,000 today).
— Are you one of the 42 million Americans expected to take a road trip this holiday weekend? L.A. Times staff writer Karen Garcia spoke to experts and compiled a story filled with gas-saving tips for Southern California drivers. One tip that caught my eye is to avoid letting your vehicle’s gas tank get nearly empty before refueling. Doug Shupe of AAA told Garcia that you see the big “E” looming on your gauge and are betting on having enough gas to make it to the next station you might be sorry, because the car’s electric fuel pump could overheat. The cost to replace this component alone can be $500 or more. Ouch.
SPORTS
— A gold medal belonging to Jordyn Poulter, the starting setter for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Volleyball Team in the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, was reported stolen from her unlocked rental vehicle parked in her garage on May 25, according to the Anaheim Police Department. Good news: an Anaheim business owner, Maria Carrillo, found it in a discarded plastic trash bag when she was out and about walking her two dogs.
— Shohei Ohtani delivered an 11-strikeout performance on the mound Wednesday in a game against the Chicago White Sox, becoming the third pitcher in Angels history to strike out 30 batters and not give up a run in three starts, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
— Fountain Valley resident Ali Khosroshahin, 52, a former USC soccer coach who took bribes in exchange for helping unqualified kids get into the school, was sentenced Wednesday to six months of home confinement after cooperating with authorities investigating the college admissions scandal, according to an Associated Press report.
CALENDAR THIS
— “Remembering Our Fallen” is a traveling photographic exhibition that includes the names and military portraits of more than 5,200 men and women who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan between the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the U.S. withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan on Aug. 30. Installed Monday, the outdoor exhibit at the Anduril building in Costa Mesa is a project of Nebraska-based nonprofit Patriotic Productions, which honors service members and veterans through memorials, speaking events and Flights of Honor tours. The tribute will only remain on display at 1375 Sunflower Ave., through Tuesday, July 5, so make plans now to go see it.
— Looking forward to seeing some serious fireworks over the weekend? The Daily Pilot offers this round-up of Fourth of July parades, fireworks and more taking place in some coastal O.C. cities.
KEEP IN TOUCH
If you have a memory or story about Orange County, I would love to read it (please keep your submission to 100 words or less).
I’d appreciate your help in making this the best newsletter it can be. Please send your memory of life in O.C., news tips or comments to carol.cormaci@latimes.com.
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