May 15, 2020 Following Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent announcement to add more than 80 community-testing sites focused on underserved communities across the state, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) has partnered with the California Department of Public Health to launch four new testing sites in the cities of Buena Park...

March 3, 2020 The OC Health Care Agency’s (HCA) Public Health Laboratory today confirmed two presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, a man in his 60s and a female in her 30s with recent travel to countries with widespread transmission. Read More

Since the peak of the most recent wave of COVID-19 disease in early August, Orange County has seen a steady decline in cases of COVID-19. In the last two weeks, however, there has been a flattening of the curve, with a rate still substantially higher than was seen in the...

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Orange County Health Care Agency have been receiving increased reports of disseminated gonococcal infection (DGI). DGI is an uncommon but severe complication of untreated gonorrhea. DGI occurs when the sexually transmitted pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae invades the bloodstream and spreads to distant...

(Santa Ana, CA) – In response to today’s approvals from the Western States Safety Review Workgroup and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) is finalizing preparations to offer the Comirnaty (Pfizer) COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11. “We expect the vaccine to be...

(Santa Ana, CA) – In response to the oil spill that occurred along the Orange County coastline the weekend of October 2, OC Health Care Agency (HCA) Director and County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau continues to advise the public to refrain from consuming contaminated fish or seafood from affected...

(Santa Ana, CA) – On November 4, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published their emergency temporary standard (ETS) to the Federal Register . The ETS establishes binding requirements to protect unvaccinated employees of large employers (100 or more employees) from the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the workplace...

Earlier this week, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released updated recommendations for medical providers for the use of anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibodies. This guidance outlines recommendations for the use of these products for treatment and post-exposure prophylaxis. In light of current national shortages, the advisory also details the current...

(Santa Ana, CA) – In anticipation of increased travel during the upcoming winter holiday season, the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) advises residents and visitors to adhere to guidelines for domestic and international travel from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). For individuals who are fully vaccinated: You...

(Santa Ana, CA) – Due to recent cases of fentanyl-related overdose, County Health Officer Dr. Clayton Chau advises the public to recognize the signs of opioid overdose and call 9-1-1 immediately if they believe someone is overdosing. “Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is a major contributor to fatal and...