The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) has released the COVID-19 case counts by cities in Orange County, in addition to the cumulative cases and deaths to date in Orange County.

As of today, HCA is reporting 321 positive cases in Orange County and 3 deaths. The number of confirmed cases by city, i.e. cities over 25,000 in population, is live on the HCA COVID-19 webpage. Communities under 25,000 residents are reported as “Other.”

Please be advised that the city data is reflective of where cases live, not necessarily where transmission occurred. Additionally, city numbers should not be interpreted to reflect where transmission is geographically focused or not, as COVID-19 is present in all communities in Orange County.

Case counts are also not reflective of all disease transmission in any given community because testing is prioritized for those at greatest risk or most sick. Asymptomatic and persons with mild disease may not be reflected due to not being tested.

Because transmission occurs throughout the County, it is important for all residents to practice social-distancing as directed by the Governor and the Orange County Health Officer regardless of the case count in their city. Doing so will help to reduce the spread of infection, ease the burden on our hospital and healthcare system, and protect those most vulnerable in our county.

Residents can now sign up to receive text message updates related to COVID-19 in Orange County. To opt-in for this service, text OCCOVID19 to 888777.

The County of Orange Emergency Operations Center has collaborated with Everbridge Nixle to launch this one-way alert system as an additional option for community members to receive the latest news and resources related to COVID-19. Text message updates will be provided daily from the County of Orange Emergency Operations Center during its activation.

Residents who have questions about an update can contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085 between 9 AM. and 6 PM daily. For more information, click here.

Residents can now call (833) 426-6411 for inquiries related to COVID–19 in Orange County. This hotline will provide resources specific to the Orange County COVID-19 response.

Through the hotline, callers can be connected to the following County of Orange agencies:

• Orange County Health Care Agency – Health Referral Line, Behavioral Health Resources
• Orange County Social Services Agency – Risk Benefits
• Orange County Office on Aging – Resources for Seniors
• Orange County District Attorney’s Office – Scams, Price Gouging
• County of Orange Emergency Operations Center Hotline – Non-Medical Questions

Residents who have questions about COVID-19 can contact the Orange County COVID-19 Hotline at any time, but individual hotline hours will vary. The Orange County COVID-19 Hotline can be reached at (833) 426-6411.

The Orange County Health Care Agency website has information that is regularly updated regarding the status of COVID-19 in Orange County.

For information about COVID-19 in the State of California, please visit their website.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has advised John Wayne Airport (JWA) that a JWA Air Traffic Controller is unconfirmed but presumed positive for COVID-19.

Out of precaution, the FAA tower at John Wayne Airport is closed, and the FAA will handle all air traffic through a regional control center. The general aviation runway at JWA is currently closed, and the commercial runway remains open.

For more information on FAA facilities affected by COVID-19, click here and here.

As the spread and far reaching impacts of COVID-19 dominate the world news, we have all witnessed and experienced the parallel spread of worry, anxiety, and uncertainty. The way to overcome this natural tendency is to build our mental resilience, the ability to refocus, clear our minds, and discard negative thoughts.

Here's what you can do:

1) Remember that knowledge is power. Understanding the factors that affect a person’s immune response to COVID-19 will matter as much as, or more than, understanding the virus. There is great information available on the OC Health Care Agency website, 

2) Don’t accept everything you read or hear. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides information and frequent updates on the COVID-19’s spread, severity, risk assessment, etc., on their website. 

3) Get your emotional support system in place:

• Maintain familiar routines in daily life as much as possible; take care of your basic needs and employ helpful coping strategies; rest during work or between shifts, eat healthy food and engage in physical activity.
• Stay connected with friends and family, even virtually connected, and maintain your social networks.
• Have the emails and phone numbers of close friends and family handy.

4) Take control and incorporate preventative measures

• See the CDC’s list of preventative measures.
• The constant stream of news reports can cause anyone to feel anxious or distressed. Instead, seek updates and practical guidelines at intervals during the day.
• Be supportive to others. Assisting others in their time of need can benefit the person receiving support as well as the helper.

If you or a loved one are feeling anxiety, worry or fear related to the social disruption caused by COVID-19, you can also reach out to these resources for support:

• Call (855) OC-LINKS or visit the OC Links website Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM to talk or chat with a trained clinical navigator.
• The NAMI Warmline is also here to provide non-crisis support for anyone struggling with mental health concerns Monday through Friday from from 9 AM to 3 AM, and Saturday and Sunday 10 AM to 3 AM. Call (877) 910-WARM or visit www.namioc.org.
• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
• Download the NAMI HelpLine Coronavirus Information and Resources Guide
• American Psychological Association (APA) ‘Building Your Resilience’

For general information about COVID-19, please call the OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Health Referral Line at (800) 564-8448, HCA website, or follow HCA on Facebook and Twitter.

For non-medical questions, contact the County of Orange Public Information Hotline at (714) 628-7085. 

Governor Gavin Newsom today issued an executive order, banning the enforcement of eviction orders for renters affected by COVID-19 through May 31, 2020. The order prohibits landlords from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent and prohibits enforcement of evictions by law enforcement or courts.

The Governor's order also requires tenants to declare in writing, no more than seven days after the rent comes due, that the tenant cannot pay all or part of their rent due to COVID-19. For more information, click here.

Today, President Trump signed into law $2.2 trillion in federal assistance to respond to the economic and public health crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation, titled "Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act," represents the third phase of coronavirus aid from Congress and is now the single largest economic rescue package in U.S. history.

Click here to read the full summary of the newly enacted law provided by the National Association of Counties (NACo).

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, the U.S. Census Bureau has extended several of their timelines by 2 to 3 weeks. This includes their final data collection deadline, which was moved from July 31 to August 14. With the new timelines, the earliest the Bureau would have people knocking on doors is May 13 (for college towns) and May 28 (for the rest of the population).

The Census Bureau had also planned to conduct a Point-In-Time (PIT) count of homeless populations from March 30 to April 1; however, this has also been delayed by a month to lower the risk of contagion.