ORANGE, L.A. COUNTIES' BLOOD SUPPLIES LOW.

Byline: Associated Press 

The blood supply is critically low in Orange and Los Angeles counties, the American Red Cross said Thursday.

The trauma center at the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center was forced to divert patients to other facilities in recent days due to a blood shortage. The trauma center had adequate blood Thursday, but spokeswoman Carolyn Carter encouraged donors to give.

The Red Cross had less than a one-day supply of group O blood in Southern California, the most prevalent type in the general population.

Blood is also in short supply in Riverside, San Bernardino, Ventura and San Diego counties, reflecting low levels nationwide, said Barbara Wilks, spokeswoman for American Red Cross Blood Services, Southern California Region.

Illness and the holidays have kept donors from giving, driving the supply to 78 percent of what the Red Cross deems its desired levels - the amount it needs to have on hand to meet all needs of patients in hospitals.

``People get busy with holiday activities - they're shopping, they're going to parties, lots of them go to visit loved ones out of the area,'' Wilks said.

In addition, flu and colds have made many would-be donors ineligible, and during the holidays many schools where the Red Cross holds blood drives were closed, she said.

``We're in the hole and we're trying to climb out,'' she said.

On Wednesday, just 663 people in Orange and Los Angeles counties gave blood, she said.

Even during normal times, Southern California American Red Cross Blood Services imports 40 percent of its blood. The region distributes more blood and blood components than any other in the country, Wilks said.

If the blood shortage continues, hospitals will have to start postponing elective surgeries, Wilks said.