A case of measles has been confirmed in an infant who is an Orange County resident who recently returned from international travel. The OC Health Care Agency’s, Communicable Disease Control Division (CDCD) is reaching out to identified contacts.

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(Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) received confirmation of a measles case in an infant who had history of international travel. The HCA is notifying individuals who were exposed to the person in health care and other settings.
 
“Measles is highly contagious. Anyone planning domestic or international travel—or hosting visitors—should be fully vaccinated at least two weeks beforehand. Infants less than a year old who are traveling internationally should receive one dose of MMR vaccine before departure. Adults and others who are not immune remain at risk, especially as outbreaks continue across the country and worldwide,” said Dr. Anissa Davis, Deputy County Health Officer. “Vaccination is the best protection.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have already been 1,792 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026. By comparison, 2025 saw 2,267 cases, the highest annual total in more than 30 years. This is the third case of measles in Orange County in 2026.
 
Common symptoms include fever, cough, red watery eyes, and a rash that typically begins on the head before spreading to the rest of the body. Measles is the most contagious disease known, and it spreads very easily through the air and by direct contact with an infected person. People are contagious from approximately four days before the rash begins through four days after the rash appears.
 
Anyone who suspects they may have measles should call their medical provider before arriving at the medical office to avoid exposing others. Clinicians should immediately report any suspected measles cases to the OC Health Care Agency for guidance and testing coordination.
 
Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles. About measles immunization:

• Immunizing household members, including children, adolescents, and adults, is the best way to protect infants who are too young to receive the MMR vaccine.
• Infants should receive their first MMR vaccine at 12-15 months of age. The second dose of MMR is given between 4 and 6 years of age, before starting school.
• Measles is found in many parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
• Children 6 to 12 months of age who are traveling internationally are recommended to receive a dose of the MMR vaccine prior to travel, to decrease their risk of infection. Before travel to domestic measles outbreak areas talk to a health care provider about following immunization recommendations for international travel.
• Children 12 months and older, as well as adults, should receive two doses, at least 28 days apart, before travel if not already vaccinated. 

For more information about measles, visit: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/measles.aspx  or www.ochealthinfo.com/measles.
 
For additional resources: health corner article: https://ochealthinfo.com/health-corner/together-we-can-prevent-measles-orange-county
Measles Awareness Infographic English, Spanish   
 

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The liver is essential for cleaning the blood and storing energy. Although it can repair itself, repeated or long‑term injury can lead to chronic liver disease. As the disease worsens, the liver cannot perform its vital functions, which can become life‑threatening. In severe cases, chronic liver disease leads to liver failure, which may cause yellowing of the skin and eyes, and swelling in the abdomen and legs. It also increases the risk of liver cancer. Chronic liver disease is a leading cause of death in both Orange County and the United States.

Common causes of liver damage include frequent alcohol use, excess body weight, and viral infections known as hepatitis. Hepatitis A, B and C are the most common viruses affecting the liver. These infections may cause sudden liver failure or progress silently for years, eventually leading to chronic liver disease.

Hepatitis A Virus

Hepatitis A spreads through the fecal–oral route, which means the virus leaves the body in the stool of an infected person and then gets into another person’s mouth. This usually happens through contaminated food or water or through close personal contact. Poor handwashing can easily spread the virus. 

Before the hepatitis A vaccine was introduced in 1996, outbreaks were common among young children - especially in childcare centers. Since then, infections have dropped significantly. Most current cases occur in unvaccinated adults, often after traveling to countries where hepatitis A is common. In the US, outbreaks have also been linked to fresh produce handled by infected workers or exposed to contaminated water.

Hepatitis A usually causes acute, short‑term illness. Most people recover on their own without lasting liver damage, but the infection can still cause significant symptoms and may require medical care.

Vaccination is the best way to prevent hepatitis A. The vaccine is recommended for all children starting at one year of age, and unvaccinated older children and adults can receive it at any time. Anyone traveling outside the United States who has not been vaccinated is strongly encouraged to talk with a health care provider about getting the hepatitis A vaccine.

Hepatitis B Virus

Hepatitis B spreads through infected blood and bodily fluids. People can become infected through shared household items with traces of blood such as toothbrushes, razors, nail clippers, or sharing needles or blood-sugar testing equipment. It can be spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluid – direct contact with skin wounds or through sexual contact. Pregnant people with hepatitis B can pass the virus to their baby during childbirth.

Hepatitis B can cause either acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term) infection. Infants and young children often show no symptoms at first, but are much more likely to develop lifelong infection, raising the risk of chronic liver disease, liver failure, and liver cancer. 

A safe and effective vaccine has been available for decades to prevent hepatitis B. Beginning in the early 1990s, newborns began receiving the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, which has been highly effective at preventing infection in infants. Antiviral medications can manage chronic hepatitis B but do not cure it, so ongoing monitoring is essential. 

Current Recommendations to Protect Against Hepatitis B Include:

• Screening all pregnant people for hepatitis B during every pregnancy
• Vaccinating all newborns at birth
• Ensuring all children and adults complete the hepatitis B vaccine series
• Testing all adults at least once to learn if they are infected or if they still need vaccination

Knowing one’s hepatitis B status helps prevent transmission and supports early liver‑health monitoring.

Hepatitis C Virus

Identified in 1989, hepatitis C was once commonly spread through blood transfusions. This risk dropped sharply after donor screening began in 1992. Today, transmission occurs mostly through sharing needles or other equipment used for injected drugs. 

Many newly infected individuals have no symptoms, but most develop chronic infection, which can cause serious long‑term liver damage.

Unlike hepatitis A and hepatitis B, there is no vaccine to prevent hepatitis C. However, since 2013, new antiviral treatments have become available that cure over 90% of infections, allowing most people with hepatitis C to be successfully treated. 

Because early infection is often silent, all adults should be tested at least once in their lifetime. People with ongoing risk—such as those who inject drugs—should be tested more regularly. Treatment for hepatitis C is widely available. 

Protecting Your Liver 

Hepatitis A, B, and C all affect the liver differently:

• Hepatitis A: spreads through contaminated food, water or close contact; usually causes short-term illness; preventable with vaccination
• Hepatitis B: spreads through blood and bodily fluids; can be acute or chronic; preventable with vaccination
• Hepatitis C: spreads through blood-to-blood contact; often becomes chronic; highly curable with treatment

No matter the type, taking proactive steps can protect both your health and the health of those around you.

Simple Steps to Keep Your Liver Healthy

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Limit or avoid alcohol
• Get tested for hepatitis B and C
• Follow treatment and monitoring if infected 
• Make sure you and your family are vaccinated against hepatitis A and B

Hepatitis A and B vaccines work very well. Countries that use the hepatitis A vaccine widely have seen big drops in the number of people getting sick over the past 30 years. Giving the hepatitis B vaccine at birth has almost completely stopped childhood hepatitis B in the United States. High vaccination rates help keep families and communities safe. 

There is no vaccine for hepatitis C yet, but there are treatments that can cure most people. These treatments help prevent liver damage and reduce new infections. 

Getting vaccinated for hepatitis A and B—and getting tested for hepatitis C so treatment can start early if needed—are important steps to help reduce hepatitis in the United States.

Resources:

California Department of Public Health – Hepatitis A
California Department of Public Health – Hepatitis B
California Department of Public Health – Hepatitis C
Centers for Disease Control – Hepatitis Basics
Schedule Vaccine Appointment for Hepatitis A or B via My Turn CA

About Dr. Christopher Zimmerman

Dr. Christopher Zimmerman is board certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics. He has more than a decade of experience as a primary care physician taking care of both adults and children. Dr. Zimmerman also trained as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and holds a Master’s in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He has extensive experience on vaccination and vaccine preventable diseases from the CDC, the New York City Department of Public Health as well as working on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative with the World Health Organization.

(Santa Ana, CA) – A bat found in Fullerton has tested positive for rabies. The bat was on the stairs near the music building at Fullerton College on the northeast corner of Chapman and Lemon on Friday, April 17th, 2026, at approximately 3:30 p.m.

Anyone who may have had physical contact with the bat or saw someone else having contact with the bat is asked to call the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180 during business hours or after hours to determine the risk for rabies. Owners of pets who may have had contact with this bat should contact their veterinarian.

The rabies virus is found in an animal’s saliva and is transmitted to people by a bite from a rabid animal. Although very rare, contamination of the eyes, mouth or an open wound by the saliva of a rabid animal can also transmit rabies. Most cases of human rabies in the United States in recent years have resulted from bat strains of rabies; bats have very small teeth, and their bites may go unnoticed.

Once a person begins showing signs and symptoms of rabies, the disease is nearly always fatal. For that reason, preventive treatment to stop the rabies virus from causing illness is given to anyone who may have been exposed to rabies. Medical assistance should be obtained promptly after an exposure so any wound can be cleaned and preventive treatment can be started. This treatment is safe and effective.

The HCA and OC Animal Care recommend the following actions to minimize the risk of rabies:

• Avoid all contact with wild animals.
• Vaccinate all cats and dogs against rabies.
• Do not sleep with open unscreened windows or doors.
• If bats are seen inside the house or other structure, close off the area and contact animal control. Once the bat(s) have been removed, close off any areas allowing entrance into the house.
• Do not leave pet food outside where it will attract wild animals.
• Immediately wash all animal bites with soap and water, being sure to flush the wound well, then contact your doctor.
• Report all animal bites to OC Animal Care.

Potential exposure to a bat or other wild animal should be reported to HCA Communicable Disease Control Division at (714) 834-8180. To report a bat in your home or an animal bite, contact OC Animal Care at (714) 935-6848.
More information about rabies is available at the Centers for Disease Control website at http://www.cdc.gov/rabies/.
 

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When I think of my favorite exports from our northern neighbors, I think of three things: maple syrup, hockey and, since “Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health” was released in 2023, a sensible, data-driven approach to alcohol guidance. 

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The reason I like the Canadian Guidelines so much is that they discuss risk on a spectrum. They start with the benefits of abstaining from alcohol completely and expand to the significant risks of drinking 7 or more standard drinks in a week (including one drink a day). A standard drink is twelve ounces of 5% ABV beer, (alcohol by volume), eight ounces of 7% ABV malt liquor, five ounces of 12% ABV wine, or one-and-a-half ounces of 40% ABV liquor. These recommendations are lower than previous guidelines and are aligned with the 2025 – 2030 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Most people would assume that completely abstaining from alcohol is probably better for them than consuming it. That said, the actual benefits may be surprising. Though alcohol may decrease the time it takes to fall asleep initially, it also decreases the amount of time spent in REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and increases wakefulness. Abstaining from alcohol allows for better sleep at night and more energy during the day. For some people, including those who are pregnant or in recovery from alcohol use disorder, abstaining completely from alcohol is critically important.

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While it may come as a surprise to some that consuming two to three drinks per week raises your risk for developing cancer, recent research demonstrates that alcohol should be recognized as a carcinogen. Alcohol, and the chemicals that stem from its metabolism, damage your body’s cells and even your DNA. If DNA is damaged in just the wrong spot, it can cause cells to multiply out of control – a process we know as cancer. Alcohol use can also lead to hormonal changes which increase certain types of cancer risk. According to the 2025 Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk, alcohol contributes to almost 100,000 cases of cancer each year in the United States alone. Of the 20,000 annual deaths from an alcohol associated cancer, 17% occur in people whose alcohol consumption is within the recommended limit of two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women set by the 2020-2025 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

While some studies previously suggested that mild to moderate alcohol consumption might have some cardiovascular benefit, more recent studies have shown that the risk for hypertension, aortic aneurysm, and certain types of strokes, starts to increase at 7 drinks per week. As the number of drinks per week increases to 14, there are significant increases in risks for respiratory infections, pancreatitis, cirrhosis, injuries – both intentional and unintentional, and premature death. 

As April is Alcohol Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to reflect on our own drinking habits with the Canadian Guidelines in mind. Abstaining from alcohol is best but consuming less than 3 alcoholic drinks per week is probably safe. As alcohol use climbs, so does the risk of cancer, chronic disease, traumatic injury, and premature death.

Go Ducks!

Resources and Research

1. Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health
2. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) About Standard Drink Sizes
3. 2025 – 2030 US Dietary Guidelines for Americans
4. Surgeon General’s Advisory on Alcohol and Cancer Risk
5. Alcohol Information (SAMHSA) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
6. (855) OC LINKS – Connect to Mental Health and Substance Use Services in Orange County
7. Alcohol and the sleeping brain. Colrain IM, Nicholas CL, Baker FC
8. Global burden of cancer in 2020 attributable to alcohol consumption: a population-based study. Rumgay H, Shield K, Charvat H et al
9. The impact of alcohol consumption on cardiovascular health: Myths and measures. Arora, M., ElSayed, A., Beger, B., Naidoo, P., Shilton, T., Jain, N., … Champagne, B.M.
10. Risk thresholds for alcohol consumption: combined analysis of individual-participant data for 599 912 current drinkers in 83 prospective studies. Wood A, Kaptoge S, Butterworth A et al
11. Daily drinking is associated with increased mortality. Hartz SM, Oehlert M, Horton AC, et al
     

About Dr. Jonathan Watson  
Dr. Jonathan Watson is dual Board-Certified in Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine and is the Medical Director of Orange County Correctional Health Services. He first discovered his passion for addiction care while working as a case manager in San Francisco’s Tenderloin neighborhood. He attended Harvard Medical School before pursuing his family medicine training at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center and then an addiction medicine Fellowship at UCLA. Dr. Watson’s love of teaching has pushed him to maintain volunteer clinical professor roles with UC Irvine’s Department of Family Medicine and Loma Linda University’s Department of Preventive Medicine. Dr. Watson has remained active with the California Society of Addiction Medicine. 

(Santa Ana, CA) – The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) invites the community to participate in National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at convenient locations throughout Orange County (OC). The public is encouraged to remove unneeded medications from their homes as a measure of preventing potential medication misuse.
 
“Turning in unused medications is a simple step that gives families peace of mind,” said HCA Director, Dr. Veronica Kelley. “Drug Take Back Day reminds us that prevention starts right at home.”
 
This initiative addresses a crucial public safety and health concern and aligns with the HCA’s commitment to the well-being of the OC community by promoting the responsible disposal of medications to prevent misuse and combat opioid addiction.
 
National Prescription Drug Take Back Day serves as a vital reminder of our collective responsibility in keeping our communities safe. To find a convenient Take Back drop-off location, please visit the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) website at www.DEATakeback.com or call 1 (800) 882-9539. The drop-off service is both free and anonymous.
 
For further information on medication misuse prevention efforts in Orange County or to discover year-round safe disposal options, please visit: www.ochealthinfo.com/adept.
 

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ABOUT THE OC HEALTH CARE AGENCY
The OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is a regional interdisciplinary health jurisdiction and an accredited health department, charged with protecting and promoting individual, family and community health through partnership and coordination of public and private sector resources. Visit www.ochealthinfo.com to learn more about services and resources.

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