All elective surgeries at Mission Hospital, the third-largest hospital in Orange County, are on hold after four patients who underwent orthopedic operations developed infections.

The hospital opted to close its 14 operating rooms in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach last week after a major accrediting agency, The Joint Commission, intervened and found, among other problems, high temperatures and humidity in some of the rooms, according to Chief Medical Officer Dr. Linda Sieglen.

The Joint Commission – which certifies agencies for Medicare and Medicaid funding – issued a preliminary decision Oct. 8 to deny Mission Hospital its accreditation. The hospital has 23 days to come into compliance with federal standards.