latimes--2020-03-04--Coronavirus hits critical moment in U.S.: 10 deaths, more patients

The battle against the coronavirus was reaching a critical moment in the United States , with the number of deaths rising Tuesday as public health leaders said there was limited window to contain the virus .
The death toll in Washington state rose to 10 , and Los Angeles and other Southern California communities delcared state of emergency amid new local cases .
“ I want them to be prepared for the reality that they , there are going to be more cases in the community , ” said Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue their daily lives .
I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.
” The World Health Organization announced Tuesday the global mortality rate from coronavirus was 3.4 % .
The death rate so far — which includes more than 3,000 deaths — is many times higher than the mortality rate of the seasonal flu , which is 0.1 % .
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that is at least partly because COVID-19 is a new disease , and no one has built @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he and other health officials said there was still time to slow the spread of the virus .
Officials say they have learned the coronavirus is less transmissible than the flu , which is often spread by people who are infected yet don ’ t have symptoms .
That doesn ’ t seem to be the case for COVID-19 , he said .
“ There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics ... which is why we must do everything we can to contain it , ” Tedros said .
Earlier reports @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 2 % for COVID-19 .
Experts say they suspect all analyses so far have overestimated the disease ’ s fatality rate because milder cases are largely not being diagnosed .
In 80 % of people , the disease causes only mild illness , experts say .
President Trump met with a group of airline executives at the White House Wednesday and tried to reassure the public that it is safe to fly “ in large portions of the world.
” As public health officials reiterated pleas to wash hands and avoid touching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practices : “ I haven ’ t touched my face in weeks .
In weeks — I miss it.
” Former President Obama also urged Americans to follow the guidance of health officials and remain calm .
“ Protect yourself and your community from coronavirus with common sense precautions : wash your hands , stay home when sick and listen to the @ CDCgov and local health authorities .
Save the masks for health care workers .
Let ’ s stay calm , listen to the experts , and follow the science.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ s emergencies program , pushed back against officials who wanted to “ wave the white flag ” and surrender to the disease ’ s hold .
China took drastic steps to fight the virus , he said , and case numbers are now on the decline there .
Countries such as China and South Korea “ implemented very , very strong measures that have affected their own economies and their own societies , ” Ryan said .
“ It ’ s really a duty of others to use the time that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reverse you can achieve with influenza .
If that is a failure , we ’ ll have slowed down the virus , ” he said .
There can be a big benefit in slowing the virus ’ arrival in a country for a few months , Ryan said .
Many countries , including the U.S , are in the middle of flu season , so large numbers of coronavirus cases would overwhelm the health system .
In Italy , COVID-19 patients and flu patients are already stretching hospitals and healthcare facilities , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s concerned by shortages of masks , gowns and other equipment needed by healthcare workers to stop the spread of disease “ caused by rising demands and hoarding and misuse.
” “ We can ’ t stop COVID-19 without protecting our health workers , ” said Tedros , noting that prices of surgical masks have increased sixfold .
Current information suggests that most COVID-19 cases are mild , said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most serious illnesses occur in 16 % of cases , she said , and older people and those with underlying health conditions are twice as likely to develop serious outcomes .
Speaking during a media briefing Tuesday , Messonnier said that cases similar to those reported abroad were now appearing in the United States .
The CDC is relying on local health clinicians to determine testing needs .
In addition to CDC test kits , commercial manufacturers overseen by the Food and Drug Administration are providing tests directly to states .
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the front lines in the United States , Messonnier said .
As of Monday evening , 60 cases of coronavirus had been diagnosed in the U.S. plus an additional 45 people who were passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and were repatriated to America .
That puts the total at about 105 cases , according to the CDC .
The West Coast continues to bear the brunt of the illnesses in the U.S. , with the focus on Northern California and Washington state .
Public health officials confirmed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Feb. 24 and died two days later .
The patient , a 54-year-old man who had underlying medical conditions , was transported from Life Care Center of Kirkland and died days before several other patients at the nursing home were linked to the coronavirus , hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said .
The Seattle and King County Public Health Department on Tuesday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19 , bringing the King County total to eight .
The other person who died was from Snohomish County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carolina resident who visited the Kirkland facility has since tested positive for the virus , becoming that state ’ s first case of COVID-19 , Gov .
Roy Cooper announced Tuesday .
Health department officials in North Carolina are working to identify anyone else who may have come in contact with the individual .
“ I know that people are worried about this virus and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared , ” Cooper said in a statement , noting that the person represents an isolated case .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus , with new cases reported in Santa Clara County , Berkeley and two presumptive cases in Orange County .
There is some debate about how the coronavirus outbreak will play out and its place in history .
The 1918 Spanish flu — the worst pandemic of the 20th century — is estimated to have killed at least 50 million people worldwide over the course of three years .
That includes 675,000 in the U.S .
Among those who were infected , the death rate is estimated to be greater than 2.5 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the H1N1 virus that emerged from pigs in 2009 — caused between around the world .
An estimated 12,500 of those fatalities occurred in the U.S. during the first year of the outbreak ; an estimated 60.8 million nationwide were infected .
The new coronavirus could wind up somewhere in between , said Dr. Otto Yang , an infectious disease expert at UCLA .
Based on what ’ s known right now , his best guess is that it might resemble the pandemic flu of 1968 , which killed about 1 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. That time , the fatality rate for those infected was about 0.03 % .
Since 2010 , the death toll of a single flu season has ranged between 12,000 to 61,000 in the U.S. , according to the CDC .
The current flu season , which began in October , has seen so far .
Though the flurry of positive test results in recent days does signal that the virus is circulating within the U.S. , experts advised the public to avoid reading too much into those numbers .
Until late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread testing for the virus , so many people who were already sick are only now being diagnosed , Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch said .
“ Some of the numbers are changing because new things are happening , but a lot of the numbers are changing because we ’ re discovering things that have already happened , ” Lipsitch said in a forum Monday hosted by Harvard ’ s public health school .
“ It ’ s really important to distinguish ‘ Oh , goodness , there ’ s a new cluster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we just discovered that there ’ s a cluster that ’ s been there for some time.
’ ” Times staff writers Noam N. Levey in Washington , Andrew J , Campa , Hannah Fry and Anh Do in Los Angeles and Phil Willon in Sacramento contributed to this report .
Read reported from Seattle .

Soumya Karlamangla, Richard Read, Rong-Gong Lin II, Colleen Shalby, Noah Bierman

Assistant plant manager Tracy Westfield cleans a classroom handle at Burroughs Middle School in Los Angeles on Tuesday as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus.
The battle against the coronavirus was reaching a critical moment in the United States, with the number of deaths rising Tuesday as public health leaders said there was limited window to contain the virus.
The death toll in Washington state rose to 10, and Los Angeles and other Southern California communities delcared state of emergency amid new local cases.
“I want them to be prepared for the reality that they, there are going to be more cases in the community,” said Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “But I want them to continue their daily lives. I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.”
The World Health Organization announced Tuesday the global mortality rate from coronavirus was 3.4%. The death rate so far — which includes more than 3,000 deaths — is many times higher than the mortality rate of the seasonal flu, which is 0.1%. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that is at least partly because COVID-19 is a new disease, and no one has built up an immunity to it.
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Still, he and other health officials said there was still time to slow the spread of the virus.
Officials say they have learned the coronavirus is less transmissible than the flu, which is often spread by people who are infected yet don’t have symptoms. That doesn’t seem to be the case for COVID-19, he said.
“There are not yet any vaccines or therapeutics ... which is why we must do everything we can to contain it,” Tedros said.
Earlier reports have pointed to a mortality rate of about 2% for COVID-19. Experts say they suspect all analyses so far have overestimated the disease’s fatality rate because milder cases are largely not being diagnosed. In 80% of people, the disease causes only mild illness, experts say.
President Trump met with a group of airline executives at the White House Wednesday and tried to reassure the public that it is safe to fly “in large portions of the world.” As public health officials reiterated pleas to wash hands and avoid touching faces, Trump joked about his own practices: “I haven’t touched my face in weeks. In weeks — I miss it.”
Former President Obama also urged Americans to follow the guidance of health officials and remain calm. “Protect yourself and your community from coronavirus with common sense precautions: wash your hands, stay home when sick and listen to the @CDCgov and local health authorities. Save the masks for health care workers. Let’s stay calm, listen to the experts, and follow the science.”
Advertisement
Mike Ryan, who runs the WHO‘s emergencies program, pushed back against officials who wanted to “wave the white flag” and surrender to the disease’s hold. China took drastic steps to fight the virus, he said, and case numbers are now on the decline there.
Countries such as China and South Korea “implemented very, very strong measures that have affected their own economies and their own societies,” Ryan said. “It’s really a duty of others to use the time that has been bought.
“That is not a reverse you can achieve with influenza. If that is a failure, we’ll have slowed down the virus,” he said.
There can be a big benefit in slowing the virus’ arrival in a country for a few months, Ryan said. Many countries, including the U.S, are in the middle of flu season, so large numbers of coronavirus cases would overwhelm the health system.
In Italy, COVID-19 patients and flu patients are already stretching hospitals and healthcare facilities, he said.
Tedros said he’s concerned by shortages of masks, gowns and other equipment needed by healthcare workers to stop the spread of disease “caused by rising demands and hoarding and misuse.”
“We can’t stop COVID-19 without protecting our health workers,” said Tedros, noting that prices of surgical masks have increased sixfold.
Current information suggests that most COVID-19 cases are mild, said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. According to a report from China, the most serious illnesses occur in 16% of cases, she said, and older people and those with underlying health conditions are twice as likely to develop serious outcomes.
Speaking during a media briefing Tuesday, Messonnier said that cases similar to those reported abroad were now appearing in the United States.
The CDC is relying on local health clinicians to determine testing needs. In addition to CDC test kits, commercial manufacturers overseen by the Food and Drug Administration are providing tests directly to states. These types of tests are typically what are on the front lines in the United States, Messonnier said.
As of Monday evening, 60 cases of coronavirus had been diagnosed in the U.S. plus an additional 45 people who were passengers aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan and were repatriated to America. That puts the total at about 105 cases, according to the CDC.
The West Coast continues to bear the brunt of the illnesses in the U.S., with the focus on Northern California and Washington state.
Public health officials confirmed a nursing home patient in Washington state was admitted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle on Feb. 24 and died two days later. The patient, a 54-year-old man who had underlying medical conditions, was transported from Life Care Center of Kirkland and died days before several other patients at the nursing home were linked to the coronavirus, hospital spokeswoman Susan Gregg said.
The Seattle and King County Public Health Department on Tuesday reported two additional deaths from COVID-19, bringing the King County total to eight. The other person who died was from Snohomish County, health officials said.
A North Carolina resident who visited the Kirkland facility has since tested positive for the virus, becoming that state’s first case of COVID-19, Gov. Roy Cooper announced Tuesday. Health department officials in North Carolina are working to identify anyone else who may have come in contact with the individual.
“I know that people are worried about this virus and I want to assure North Carolinians our state is prepared,” Cooper said in a statement, noting that the person represents an isolated case.
More than 50 people in California have the virus, with new cases reported in Santa Clara County, Berkeley and two presumptive cases in Orange County.
There is some debate about how the coronavirus outbreak will play out and its place in history.
The 1918 Spanish flu — the worst pandemic of the 20th century — is estimated to have killed at least 50 million people worldwide over the course of three years. That includes 675,000 in the U.S. Among those who were infected, the death rate is estimated to be greater than 2.5% .
The most recent pandemic flu — caused by the H1N1 virus that emerged from pigs in 2009 — caused between 152,000 and 575,000 deaths around the world. An estimated 12,500 of those fatalities occurred in the U.S. during the first year of the outbreak; an estimated 60.8 million nationwide were infected.
The new coronavirus could wind up somewhere in between, said Dr. Otto Yang, an infectious disease expert at UCLA. Based on what’s known right now, his best guess is that it might resemble the pandemic flu of 1968, which killed about 1 million people globally, including 100,000 in the U.S. That time, the fatality rate for those infected was about 0.03%.
Since 2010, the death toll of a single flu season has ranged between 12,000 to 61,000 in the U.S., according to the CDC. The current flu season, which began in October, has seen about 18,000 deaths so far.
Though the flurry of positive test results in recent days does signal that the virus is circulating within the U.S., experts advised the public to avoid reading too much into those numbers.
Until late last week, federal officials were not allowing widespread testing for the virus , so many people who were already sick are only now being diagnosed, Harvard epidemiology professor Marc Lipsitch said.
“Some of the numbers are changing because new things are happening, but a lot of the numbers are changing because we’re discovering things that have already happened,” Lipsitch said in a forum Monday hosted by Harvard’s public health school. “It’s really important to distinguish ‘Oh, goodness, there’s a new cluster’ from ‘Oh, goodness, we just discovered that there’s a cluster that’s been there for some time.’”
Times staff writers Noam N. Levey in Washington, Andrew J, Campa, Hannah Fry and Anh Do in Los Angeles and Phil Willon in Sacramento contributed to this report. Read reported from Seattle.


latimes--2020-03-03--Holly Mitchell and Herb Wesson appear headed for runoff in race for L.A. County supervisor

The race for one of the three seats up for grabs on the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appeared poised for a runoff , with partial election returns showing L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson and state Sen. Holly Mitchell leading in the 2nd Supervisorial District .
Along with former L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry , the longtime politicians sought to muscle their way into the seat being vacated by a termed-out Mark Ridley-Thomas .
Four lesser-known candidates also ran .
If no candidate wins more than 50 % of the vote , the top two finishers will go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I feel good , I ’ m on the board , ” said Mitchell , speaking by phone Tuesday night after early results were posted .
“ I ’ m cautiously optimistic.
” “ I believe the voters are putting me through to the next round , ” Wesson told The Times by phone after speaking to supporters at his campaign headquarters .
“ I led this campaign not with my head , but with my heart , and I believe we made a real connection with the voters.
” The race was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supervisor contests on Tuesday .
Incumbents Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn were leading in their respective races , according to partial returns .
The five-member Board of Supervisors represents 10 million people and oversees a $ 36-billion budget , the county ’ s jails and hospitals , and social services .
In the 2nd District race , homelessness , rising housing prices and gentrification were the dominant issues , as the district , which covers much of South L.A. , Culver City and Carson , has the largest homeless population in the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him the target of attacks , with both Mitchell and Perry questioning his record on affordable housing and homelessness .
The former City Council president and Assembly speaker pulled in more than $ 1.5 million , while the L.A. County Federation of Labor spent another $ 1.5 million through an independent committee to support his bid , said Federation of Labor political director Devin Osiri .
The Assn .
for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC gave $ 500,000 to the committee led by the federation , while Service Employees International Union Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who raised $ 985,000 , also benefited from outside money .
An independent committee — with major funders that include Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West and Planned Parent Advocacy Project — spent more than $ 450,000 in the race , said Tina McKinnor , principal officer of the committee .
In the final weeks of the primary race , Perry ’ s campaign stepped up attacks on Wesson , sending mailers that alleged the councilman is being investigated by the FBI .
The mailers quoted a 2019 Times story about a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ FBI probe into City Councilman Jose Huizar .
The Times reported that investigators were looking for possible evidence involving a dozen people , including Deron Williams , Wesson ’ s chief of staff .
Wesson ’ s name , however , doesn ’ t appear in the search warrant and his attorney told The Times last year that the councilman was only a witness in its investigation .
No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the probe .
Hahn , who has endorsed Wesson , defended the councilman .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ called the mailers a “ last-minute smear , ” and pointed to Wesson ’ s support from law enforcement groups .
Meanwhile , partial returns showed Hahn coasting to victory over challenger and attorney Desiree Washington , as she sought to retain her district seat .
The county ’ s 4th Supervisorial District covers Diamond Bar , Downey , San Pedro and Marina del Rey .
And in the county ’ s 5th district , Barger also was leading over John C. Harabedian , mayor of Sierra Madre , and educator Darrell Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pasadena and takes in Santa Clarita and San Dimas .
Measure FD , a parcel tax that would raise an estimated $ 134 million annually for the Los Angeles County Fire Department was falling short of the two-thirds approval needed to pass .
Only voters who live in areas served by the L.A. County Fire Department , which include the unincorporated county and 58 cities that contract with the county for fire protection and emergency services , cast ballots on the measure .
Another ballot measure , Measure R , was ahead in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to subpoena witnesses and documents during its investigations .
It would also authorize the commission to develop a plan to reduce jail populations and reinvest savings into other preventative services .

State Sen. Holly Mitchell reacts as she sees the first polling results at her campaign headquarters putting her in the lead the Los Angeles County 2nd Supervisorial District race.
The race for one of the three seats up for grabs on the powerful Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors appeared poised for a runoff, with partial election returns showing L.A. City Councilman Herb Wesson and state Sen. Holly Mitchell leading in the 2nd Supervisorial District.
Along with former L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry, the longtime politicians sought to muscle their way into the seat being vacated by a termed-out Mark Ridley-Thomas. Four lesser-known candidates also ran.
If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will go to a runoff in November.
“I feel good, I’m on the board,” said Mitchell, speaking by phone Tuesday night after early results were posted. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”
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“I believe the voters are putting me through to the next round,” Wesson told The Times by phone after speaking to supporters at his campaign headquarters. “I led this campaign not with my head, but with my heart, and I believe we made a real connection with the voters.”
The race was the most closely watched of three county supervisor contests on Tuesday. Incumbents Kathryn Barger and Janice Hahn were leading in their respective races, according to partial returns.
The five-member Board of Supervisors represents 10 million people and oversees a $36-billion budget, the county’s jails and hospitals, and social services.
In the 2nd District race, homelessness, rising housing prices and gentrification were the dominant issues, as the district, which covers much of South L.A., Culver City and Carson, has the largest homeless population in the county.
Herb J. Wesson Jr. at a L.A. city council meeting. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)
Wesson’s fundraising edge made him the target of attacks, with both Mitchell and Perry questioning his record on affordable housing and homelessness.
The former City Council president and Assembly speaker pulled in more than $1.5 million, while the L.A. County Federation of Labor spent another $1.5 million through an independent committee to support his bid, said Federation of Labor political director Devin Osiri. The Assn. for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs State PAC gave $500,000 to the committee led by the federation, while Service Employees International Union Local 721 gave $400,000.
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Mitchell, who raised $985,000, also benefited from outside money. An independent committee — with major funders that include Service Employees International Union-United Healthcare Workers West and Planned Parent Advocacy Project — spent more than $450,000 in the race, said Tina McKinnor, principal officer of the committee.
In the final weeks of the primary race, Perry’s campaign stepped up attacks on Wesson, sending mailers that alleged the councilman is being investigated by the FBI.
Politics 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primary: What you missed, who dropped out On the biggest day of the Democratic presidential primary calendar, 14 states — from Maine to California — held primaries on Super Tuesday. There were1,357 delegates at stake, just over a third of the votes at this summer’s nominating convention.The balloting shaped up as a battle between Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden.Former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg dropped out Wednesday morning after a disappointing showing, considering the hundreds of millions he’s spent on his campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren also fell well short of expectations. Our reporters in California and other key Super Tuesday states followed the day’s developments and will keep you up to date on the aftermath.Live Super Tuesday results Photos: Super Tuesday | 14 states hold primaries with 1,357 delegates at stake
The mailers quoted a 2019 Times story about a search warrant served in connection with the FBI probe into City Councilman Jose Huizar. The Times reported that investigators were looking for possible evidence involving a dozen people, including Deron Williams, Wesson’s chief of staff. Wesson’s name, however, doesn’t appear in the search warrant and his attorney told The Times last year that the councilman was only a witness in its investigation. No one has been arrested or charged in connection with the probe.
Hahn, who has endorsed Wesson, defended the councilman. Speaking on robocalls to district voters, Hahn called the mailers a “last-minute smear,” and pointed to Wesson’s support from law enforcement groups.
Meanwhile, partial returns showed Hahn coasting to victory over challenger and attorney Desiree Washington, as she sought to retain her district seat. The county’s 4th Supervisorial District covers Diamond Bar, Downey, San Pedro and Marina del Rey.
And in the county’s 5th district, Barger also was leading over John C. Harabedian, mayor of Sierra Madre, and educator Darrell Park. The district stretches from Lancaster to Pasadena and takes in Santa Clarita and San Dimas.
Measure FD, a parcel tax that would raise an estimated $134 million annually for the Los Angeles County Fire Department was falling short of the two-thirds approval needed to pass. Only voters who live in areas served by the L.A. County Fire Department, which include the unincorporated county and 58 cities that contract with the county for fire protection and emergency services, cast ballots on the measure.
Another ballot measure, Measure R, was ahead in partial returns. It would allow the Los Angeles County Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission to subpoena witnesses and documents during its investigations. It would also authorize the commission to develop a plan to reduce jail populations and reinvest savings into other preventative services.


latimes--2020-03-04--The fight will go on in union-versus-charter contests for L.A. school board

Jackie Goldberg appears headed to reelection on the Los Angeles Board of Education , but little else has been settled Wednesday in hard-fought , expensive and pivotal contests to influence the direction of the nation ’ s second-largest school system .
With many ballots yet to be counted , two races seem on their way toward a November runoff , but it is not yet clear who will be in those contests .
In the west San Fernando Valley , incumbent Scott Schmerelson was leading in ongoing tallies , making him a good bet to be in a runoff against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second place , or Elizabeth Bartels-Badger .
For a board seat that takes in parts of South L.A. and the harbor area , four candidates are in a tight contest over the two spots in the runoff .
Leading the pack early Wednesday was Patricia Castellanos , but many votes are yet to be tallied .
Throughout the campaign season , these contests were a battle between between supporters of charter schools and the teachers union — and that scenario is likely to continue until the November general election .
The stakes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that has divided closely over issues affecting charter schools .
The four seats up in this election have all been held by board members friendly to the teachers union — and the union has been campaigning to keep it that way .
Charter advocates are concerned about new state laws that give school boards more authority to limit charter growth and have been campaigning for candidates more likely to support their schools .
Charters are privately operated and compete with the school system for students .
Most charters are nonunion .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pro-union board cut back on charter growth in L.A. in a big way , but the unions , to take advantage of that opportunity , can ’ t afford to lose either of these last two seats , ” said Dan Schnur , who teaches political communications at USC and Pepperdine .
“ This is going to be a classic charter-versus-union faceoff .
Both sides are all in.
” The easiest race was in District 1 .
One-term incumbent George McKenna was opposed only by write-in candidate Michael Batie .
In District @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But that did not stop businessman Bill Bloomfield from swamping the race with positive mailers about opponent Christina Martinez Duran and negative mailers about Goldberg .
Bloomfield spent more than $ 600,000 in support of Duran and more than $ 744,000 in negative mailers that distorted Goldberg ’ s record of pushing for increased funding for schools and supporting gun control .
Unions spent about $ 232,000 on behalf of Goldberg , who already was well known in areas of her district north and northeast of downtown .
She ’ s less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County .
Goldberg first served on the board in the 1980s and later on the L.A. City Council and in the Assembly .
She returned to the Board of Education last May in a special election to complete the term of Ref Rodriguez , who resigned after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations .
The switch from Rodriguez , the cofounder of a group of charter schools , to Goldberg , a union ally and charter critic , altered the board ’ s ideological balance .
Charters are privately operated public schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students .
Most charters are non-union .
In her first year , Goldberg has suggested that she would look with some skepticism at petitions for new charters , but also insisted she would not target existing charters — more than 200 — for shut down .
To tilt the board toward supporting charter growth , backers needed only one win , and they pushed hard in District 3 .
In this race , one-term incumbent Schmerelson — a retired principal backed by the district ’ s employee unions — was opposed by charter-backed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ led community outreach efforts at a local charter school .
Charter backers spent more than $ 1.6 million to boost Koziatek and more than $ 1 million against Schmerelson .
Unions spent more than $ 671,000 in support of Schmerelson and also tried to flood neighborhoods with teachers who volunteered to walk precincts .
This competitive seat opened up because term limits prevented incumbent Richard Vladovic from running again .
In early returns , the leading vote-getters included the three candidates who benefited most from outside campaigns : Mike Lansing , Tanya Ortiz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who had no significant funding support , also was in that tight grouping .
As in District 5 , the campaign spending pitted charter ally Bloomfield against the teachers union and its allies .
And , as in District 5 , Bloomfield ’ s dollars swamped what either the unions or individual candidates were able to do on their own .
In this race , Bloomfield backed two candidates : former two-term school board member Lansing and education-program administrator Franklin .
Bloomfield ’ s apparent goal was to edge out union-backed candidate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also funded negative campaigns against both Gutiérrez , a teacher , and Castellanos , a veteran labor organizer and district parent .
Also running in District 7 was Silke M. Bradford , a school district administrator who evaluates the performance of charter schools .

Jackie Goldberg appears headed to reelection on the Los Angeles Board of Education, but little else has been settled Wednesday in hard-fought, expensive and pivotal contests to influence the direction of the nation’s second-largest school system.
With many ballots yet to be counted, two races seem on their way toward a November runoff, but it is not yet clear who will be in those contests.
In the west San Fernando Valley, incumbent Scott Schmerelson was leading in ongoing tallies, making him a good bet to be in a runoff against either Marilyn Koziatek, who was in second place, or Elizabeth Bartels-Badger.
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For a board seat that takes in parts of South L.A. and the harbor area, four candidates are in a tight contest over the two spots in the runoff. Leading the pack early Wednesday was Patricia Castellanos, but many votes are yet to be tallied.
Throughout the campaign season, these contests were a battle between between supporters of charter schools and the teachers union — and that scenario is likely to continue until the November general election. The stakes are high for both sides on a board that has divided closely over issues affecting charter schools.
The four seats up in this election have all been held by board members friendly to the teachers union — and the union has been campaigning to keep it that way. Charter advocates are concerned about new state laws that give school boards more authority to limit charter growth and have been campaigning for candidates more likely to support their schools.
Charters are privately operated and compete with the school system for students. Most charters are nonunion.
“The new rules for charter approval would let a pro-union board cut back on charter growth in L.A. in a big way, but the unions, to take advantage of that opportunity, can’t afford to lose either of these last two seats,” said Dan Schnur, who teaches political communications at USC and Pepperdine. “This is going to be a classic charter-versus-union faceoff. Both sides are all in.”
District 1, parts of South and southwest L.A.
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The easiest race was in District 1. One-term incumbent George McKenna was opposed only by write-in candidate Michael Batie.
District 5, parts of east and north L.A., southeast cities
In District 5, Goldberg was the presumed favorite. But that did not stop businessman Bill Bloomfield from swamping the race with positive mailers about opponent Christina Martinez Duran and negative mailers about Goldberg.
Goldberg had a comfortable majority in incomplete returns.
Bloomfield spent more than $600,000 in support of Duran and more than $744,000 in negative mailers that distorted Goldberg’s record of pushing for increased funding for schools and supporting gun control. Unions spent about $232,000 on behalf of Goldberg, who already was well known in areas of her district north and northeast of downtown. She’s less well known in the cities of southeast L.A. County.
Goldberg first served on the board in the 1980s and later on the L.A. City Council and in the Assembly. She returned to the Board of Education last May in a special election to complete the term of Ref Rodriguez, who resigned after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations.
The switch from Rodriguez, the cofounder of a group of charter schools, to Goldberg, a union ally and charter critic, altered the board’s ideological balance. Charters are privately operated public schools that compete with district operated schools for students. Most charters are non-union.
In her first year, Goldberg has suggested that she would look with some skepticism at petitions for new charters, but also insisted she would not target existing charters — more than 200 — for shut down.
District 3, West San Fernando Valley
To tilt the board toward supporting charter growth, backers needed only one win, and they pushed hard in District 3. In this race, one-term incumbent Schmerelson — a retired principal backed by the district’s employee unions — was opposed by charter-backed Koziatek, a district parent who has led community outreach efforts at a local charter school.
Charter backers spent more than $1.6 million to boost Koziatek and more than $1 million against Schmerelson. Unions spent more than $671,000 in support of Schmerelson and also tried to flood neighborhoods with teachers who volunteered to walk precincts.
District 7, South L.A., harbor area
This competitive seat opened up because term limits prevented incumbent Richard Vladovic from running again.
In early returns, the leading vote-getters included the three candidates who benefited most from outside campaigns: Mike Lansing, Tanya Ortiz Franklin and Castellanos. But Lydia Gutiérrez, who had no significant funding support, also was in that tight grouping.
As in District 5, the campaign spending pitted charter ally Bloomfield against the teachers union and its allies. And, as in District 5, Bloomfield’s dollars swamped what either the unions or individual candidates were able to do on their own.
In this race, Bloomfield backed two candidates: former two-term school board member Lansing and education-program administrator Franklin. Bloomfield’s apparent goal was to edge out union-backed candidate Castellanos from making a runoff.
Bloomfield also funded negative campaigns against both Gutiérrez, a teacher, and Castellanos, a veteran labor organizer and district parent.
Also running in District 7 was Silke M. Bradford, a school district administrator who evaluates the performance of charter schools.


latimes--2020-03-04--New coronavirus cases in Los Angeles, Orange County, other California communities

Los Angeles recorded a new coronavirus case on Tuesday , with Kaiser Permanente announcing it was treating a patient .
“ Kaiser Permanente is overseeing the care of a coronavirus patient who is home in self-isolation and being treated on an outpatient basis .
We are in touch with and monitoring the patient , ” Kaiser said in a statement .
No other details were available .
Hours earlier , Orange County officials announced two presumptive coronavirus cases , both of whom had recently been in countries where the virus has spread .
Officials from the Centers for Disease Control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those results .
At least five Northern California counties reported new cases of COVID-19 on Monday .
On Tuesday , the city of Berkeley reported its first case after an individual visited a country with an outbreak .
That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning .
“ While the risk of infection remains low , the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for , ” said Berkeley Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez .
“ There are steps that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future.
” Contra Costa County also reported a case , and Placer County reported a second case .
Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the California Department of Public Health received approval from the CDC and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to dip into its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N95 face masks for medical workers on the front lines .
Robert Redfield , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public , reiterated that point .
“ I want them to be prepared for the reality that ... there are going to be more cases in the community , ” he said .
“ But I want them to continue their daily lives .
I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.
” Redfield said scientists do not have the data to predict the disease ’ s future spread .
“ What we do know for sure , that in the right setting , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ When you think that just a couple of weeks ago there were less than three cases in Korea , now there ’ s 2,500 .
”

Los Angeles recorded a new coronavirus case on Tuesday, with Kaiser Permanente announcing it was treating a patient.
“Kaiser Permanente is overseeing the care of a coronavirus patient who is home in self-isolation and being treated on an outpatient basis. We are in touch with and monitoring the patient,” Kaiser said in a statement.
No other details were available.
Hours earlier, Orange County officials announced two presumptive coronavirus cases, both of whom had recently been in countries where the virus has spread.
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Officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are now looking to confirm those results.
At least five Northern California counties reported new cases of COVID-19 on Monday. On Tuesday, the city of Berkeley reported its first case after an individual visited a country with an outbreak. That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning.
“While the risk of infection remains low, the expanded presence of the virus in our community is a reality we should all prepare for,” said Berkeley Public Health Officer Dr. Lisa Hernandez. “There are steps that all of us in the community can take now to improve basic hygiene and also prepare for a wider spread in the future.”
Contra Costa County also reported a case, and Placer County reported a second case.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Tuesday that the California Department of Public Health received approval from the CDC and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health to dip into its emergency planning reserves of 21 million N95 face masks for medical workers on the front lines.
Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, delivering a message to the American public, reiterated that point.
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“I want them to be prepared for the reality that ... there are going to be more cases in the community,” he said. “But I want them to continue their daily lives. I want them to be mindful of the opportunity again to prepare themselves and their families.”
Redfield said scientists do not have the data to predict the disease’s future spread.
“What we do know for sure, that in the right setting, it does have the potential to move quickly,” he said. “When you think that just a couple of weeks ago there were less than three cases in Korea, now there’s 2,500.”


latimes--2020-03-04--Jackie Lacey leads progressive challengers in pivotal race for Los Angeles County D.A.

In a race that could serve as a litmus test of Southern California ’ s appetite for criminal justice reform , Los Angeles County ’ s Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey held a sizable lead over her two progressive challengers , though it was unclear if she would avoid a November runoff in the contest to lead the nation ’ s largest county prosecutor ’ s office .
With just under 1 million ballots tallied as of 6 a.m. , Lacey had garnered about 50.7 % of the vote , according to the L.A. County Registrar .
The two-term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after early returns that largely consisted of mail-in ballots , but saw her lead slip as results from polling centers came in .
Her challengers — former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón and public defender Rachel Rossi — had been tied in distant second place .
But as more votes trickled in , Gascon ’ s vote tally climbed to 27 % while Rossi remained in the low-20s .
The next update was expected Wednesday afternoon .
The top two vote-getters will continue on to November unless one candidate finishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote and wins outright .
The race has been defined by a stark ideological divide between Lacey and her two challengers .
While all three are registered Democrats , Lacey ’ s broad support among law enforcement and track record of not prosecuting officers in controversial use-of-force cases has drawn her scorn from progressive groups and criminal justice reform activists .
Those tensions boiled over Monday morning , when Lacey ’ s husband pointed a gun at Black Lives Matter protesters who had gathered outside the couple ’ s Granada Hills home .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nationwide reform movement that has vaulted restorative justice minded candidates into office in such cities as Chicago , Philadelphia and San Francisco .
A former assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department , Gascón became a progressive policymaker after being appointed as San Francisco ’ s district attorney in 2011 .
He coauthored Proposition 47 and enacted a number of policies aimed at reducing California ’ s prison population , including cutting back dramatically on prosecution of low-level and nonviolent offenders .
But surges in property crime there have led critics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Speaking to supporters at Union Station on Tuesday night , Gascón acknowledged the early results and said he had expected mail-in ballots to favor Lacey , but predicted his standing would improve as results from election day voting came in .
However , with long lines and delays marking a problematic roll out of L.A. County ’ s new voting system , it was unclear when full results might be available .
Rossi has painted herself as the only true alternative in the race , portraying her lack of law enforcement experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand the courtroom from both sides of the aisle .
As legal counsel to Sen. Richard Durbin ( D-Ill. ) in Washington , she helped frame the First Step Act , which reduced some mandatory minimum sentences at the federal level .
Opponents have also made an issue of her relative inexperience .
Whereas Gascón and Lacey have served a combined six decades as a police officer or prosecutor , Rossi , 36 , has never run an agency and served as a public defender for only about eight years .
During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night , Rossi thanked her supporters for believing in “ the crazy idea of a public defender running for prosecutor.
” “ It ’ s exciting to see we ’ re very closely tied right now , ” she said .
“ I ’ m looking forward to seeing how the numbers continue to come in.
” In a statement , Lacey acknowledged it would be a long time until the final tally was known but praised voters who trusted her to guide the county ’ s justice system .
“ I am @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of voters who cast their ballots to advance policies that protect victims , prioritize mental health treatment and keep L.A. County safe , ” she said .
The race has attracted millions of dollars in funding from outside committees and been marked by pointed attacks .
Many of Gascón ’ s former fellow LAPD officers have turned their back on him , with the union representing rank-and-file officers spending $ 1 million to oppose his candidacy and release advertisements describing him as a con man .
Lacey , meanwhile , has been dogged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a news conference Monday , she claimed her office had received numerous threats during the race , including a death threat that was referred to an outside police agency .
After demonstrators disrupted portions of a January debate , she refused to appear at any other candidate forums before the primary .
Following the gun incident involving her husband , she canceled a public watch party for supporters Tuesday night , Mac Zilber , a consultant on her campaign , said .
Rossi spent election day meeting with constituents around downtown L.A. and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign event at the Grand Central Market .
Lacey stayed out of the public eye , but Zilber said she spent much of the day on the phone with supporters .
The image of Lacey ’ s husband pointing a gun at unarmed protesters seemed to weigh heavily on the minds of voters Tuesday .
While walking to a polling station in Mid-City , 30-year-old Julia Markas said footage of the confrontation led her to research the other candidates .
“ It really did make me investigate where did she stand on things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against her , because it was a really shocking video , ” Markas said .

James Queally, Leila Miller, Matthew Ormseth

In a race that could serve as a litmus test of Southern California’s appetite for criminal justice reform, Los Angeles County’s Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey held a sizable lead over her two progressive challengers, though it was unclear if she would avoid a November runoff in the contest to lead the nation’s largest county prosecutor’s office.
With just under 1 million ballots tallied as of 6 a.m., Lacey had garnered about 50.7% of the vote, according to the L.A. County Registrar. The two-term incumbent jumped out to a significant lead after early returns that largely consisted of mail-in ballots, but saw her lead slip as results from polling centers came in.
Her challengers — former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón and public defender Rachel Rossi — had been tied in distant second place. But as more votes trickled in, Gascon’s vote tally climbed to 27% while Rossi remained in the low-20s.
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The next update was expected Wednesday afternoon.
The top two vote-getters will continue on to November unless one candidate finishes with more than 50% of the vote and wins outright.
The race has been defined by a stark ideological divide between Lacey and her two challengers. While all three are registered Democrats, Lacey’s broad support among law enforcement and track record of not prosecuting officers in controversial use-of-force cases has drawn her scorn from progressive groups and criminal justice reform activists.
Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey is seen as a more traditional prosecutor than her election opponents George Gascón and Rachel Rossi. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)
Those tensions boiled over Monday morning, when Lacey’s husband pointed a gun at Black Lives Matter protesters who had gathered outside the couple’s Granada Hills home.
Gascón and Rossi are both emblematic of a nationwide reform movement that has vaulted restorative justice minded candidates into office in such cities as Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco.
A former assistant chief in the Los Angeles Police Department, Gascón became a progressive policymaker after being appointed as San Francisco’s district attorney in 2011. He coauthored Proposition 47 and enacted a number of policies aimed at reducing California’s prison population, including cutting back dramatically on prosecution of low-level and nonviolent offenders. But surges in property crime there have led critics to label him as soft on crime.
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Speaking to supporters at Union Station on Tuesday night, Gascón acknowledged the early results and said he had expected mail-in ballots to favor Lacey, but predicted his standing would improve as results from election day voting came in. However, with long lines and delays marking a problematic roll out of L.A. County’s new voting system, it was unclear when full results might be available.
Rachel Rossi, center, chats with supporters shortly before announcing her entry into the Los Angeles County district attorney’s race. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Rossi has painted herself as the only true alternative in the race, portraying her lack of law enforcement experience as a positive that would allow her to understand the courtroom from both sides of the aisle. As legal counsel to Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) in Washington, she helped frame the First Step Act, which reduced some mandatory minimum sentences at the federal level.
Opponents have also made an issue of her relative inexperience. Whereas Gascón and Lacey have served a combined six decades as a police officer or prosecutor, Rossi, 36, has never run an agency and served as a public defender for only about eight years.
During an event in Echo Park on Tuesday night, Rossi thanked her supporters for believing in “the crazy idea of a public defender running for prosecutor.”
“It’s exciting to see we’re very closely tied right now,” she said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the numbers continue to come in.”
In a statement, Lacey acknowledged it would be a long time until the final tally was known but praised voters who trusted her to guide the county’s justice system.
“I am deeply grateful to the hundreds of thousands of voters who cast their ballots to advance policies that protect victims, prioritize mental health treatment and keep L.A. County safe,” she said.
The race has attracted millions of dollars in funding from outside committees and been marked by pointed attacks. Many of Gascón’s former fellow LAPD officers have turned their back on him, with the union representing rank-and-file officers spending $1 million to oppose his candidacy and release advertisements describing him as a con man.
Lacey, meanwhile, has been dogged by protesters at several events. At a news conference Monday, she claimed her office had received numerous threats during the race, including a death threat that was referred to an outside police agency. After demonstrators disrupted portions of a January debate, she refused to appear at any other candidate forums before the primary.
Politics 2020 Super Tuesday Democratic primary: Live updates On the biggest day of the Democratic presidential primary calendar, 14 states — from Maine to California — held primaries on Super Tuesday. There were1,357 delegates at stake, just over a third of the votes at this summer’s nominating convention.The balloting shaped up as a battle between Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden.Former New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg dropped out Wednesday morning after a disappointing showing, considering the hundreds of millions he’s spent on his campaign. Sen. Elizabeth Warren also fell well short of expectations. Our reporters in California and other key Super Tuesday states followed the day’s developments and will keep you up to date on the aftermath.Live Super Tuesday results Photos: Super Tuesday | 14 states hold primaries with 1,357 delegates at stake
Following the gun incident involving her husband, she canceled a public watch party for supporters Tuesday night, Mac Zilber, a consultant on her campaign, said.
Rossi spent election day meeting with constituents around downtown L.A. and Boyle Heights, while Gascón held a campaign event at the Grand Central Market. Lacey stayed out of the public eye, but Zilber said she spent much of the day on the phone with supporters.
The image of Lacey’s husband pointing a gun at unarmed protesters seemed to weigh heavily on the minds of voters Tuesday. While walking to a polling station in Mid-City, 30-year-old Julia Markas said footage of the confrontation led her to research the other candidates.
“It really did make me investigate where did she stand on things, who are the other people running against her, because it was a really shocking video,” Markas said.


latimes--2020-03-04--Golden State Killer suspect would plead guilty if death penalty is off the table, lawyers say

Attorneys for the man accused of being the Golden State Killer said Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty , according to new court papers .
The statement from the public defenders representing DeAngelo appears as a footnote in a 41-page dismissal motion filed in Sacramento County Circuit Court late Monday night and obtained by The Times on Tuesday .
“ Mr .
DeAngelo is 74 years old .
He has offered to plead to the charges with a lifetime sentence , ” the statement says .
Assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request to clarify the statement .
Nor did Sacramento County prosecutor Anne Marie Schubert respond to a request for comment .
But victims in the case told The Times they had received a letter from the public defender asking them to tell an independent mediator what they think about resolving the case without trial .
“ I would be OK with that , ” said Kris Pedretti , who was 15 when she was raped in 1976 .
“ But in exchange we want answers .
Where he was .
What @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us answers ... real answers.
” A second victim voiced a similar opinion .
Victor Hayes , who was held captive and threatened with death while his girlfriend was raped , said he is more interested in knowing details of how the crimes would have been committed by DeAngelo , a patrol duty police officer for the small Northern California town of Auburn .
DeAngelo faces charges in 13 murders and 13 rape-related kidnappings in six counties .
Beyond that , he is accused of some 50 rapes and scores of ransackings attributed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , men and children across a large swath of California in the 1970s and 1980s .
He was arrested in April 2018 based on genetic DNA tracing through his relatives .
Prosecutors allege that DNA retrieved from DeAngelo the day of his arrest matches that from eight of the crime scenes , but they have so far been stymied in collecting additional DNA samples from DeAngelo so that crime labs in those counties can run their own tests .
A spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney , among those seeking the death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to talk to victim families about a plea deal “ completely inappropriate.
” Such discussions are the purview of the prosecutor ’ s office , said Kimberly Edds , spokeswoman for District Atty .
Todd Spitzer .
She said Spitzer ’ s office is still in the process of meeting with family members of murder victims “ to discuss how to proceed.
” Edds said some of those meetings are planned over the next few weeks .
Phyllis Henneman , whose 1976 attack is considered the first documented rape in the East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be satisfied with a guilty plea and life sentence — if victims who had questions about their attacks could get answers .
“ I am not so sure there is anything I would ask for myself , ” she said .
“ He probably not be truthful anyway.
” She said her own desire is that DeAngelo would end up dealing with the dangers of life in the general prison population “ and not housed away in solitary confinement .
”

Attorneys for the man accused of being the Golden State Killer said Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. would be willing to plead guilty if prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty, according to new court papers.
The statement from the public defenders representing DeAngelo appears as a footnote in a 41-page dismissal motion filed in Sacramento County Circuit Court late Monday night and obtained by The Times on Tuesday.
“Mr. DeAngelo is 74 years old. He has offered to plead to the charges with a lifetime sentence,” the statement says.
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Assistant public defender Joe Cress did not respond to a request to clarify the statement. Nor did Sacramento County prosecutor Anne Marie Schubert respond to a request for comment. But victims in the case told The Times they had received a letter from the public defender asking them to tell an independent mediator what they think about resolving the case without trial.
“I would be OK with that,” said Kris Pedretti, who was 15 when she was raped in 1976. “But in exchange we want answers. Where he was. What he was doing. ... He owes us answers ... real answers.”
A second victim voiced a similar opinion. Victor Hayes, who was held captive and threatened with death while his girlfriend was raped, said he is more interested in knowing details of how the crimes would have been committed by DeAngelo, a patrol duty police officer for the small Northern California town of Auburn.
DeAngelo faces charges in 13 murders and 13 rape-related kidnappings in six counties. Beyond that, he is accused of some 50 rapes and scores of ransackings attributed to a serial predator who attacked women, men and children across a large swath of California in the 1970s and 1980s.
He was arrested in April 2018 based on genetic DNA tracing through his relatives. Prosecutors allege that DNA retrieved from DeAngelo the day of his arrest matches that from eight of the crime scenes, but they have so far been stymied in collecting additional DNA samples from DeAngelo so that crime labs in those counties can run their own tests.
A spokeswoman for the Orange County district attorney, among those seeking the death penalty, called the public defenders’ efforts to talk to victim families about a plea deal “completely inappropriate.”
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Such discussions are the purview of the prosecutor’s office, said Kimberly Edds, spokeswoman for District Atty. Todd Spitzer. She said Spitzer’s office is still in the process of meeting with family members of murder victims “to discuss how to proceed.”
Edds said some of those meetings are planned over the next few weeks.
Phyllis Henneman, whose 1976 attack is considered the first documented rape in the East Area Rapist crime series, said she would be satisfied with a guilty plea and life sentence — if victims who had questions about their attacks could get answers.
“I am not so sure there is anything I would ask for myself,” she said. “He would probably not be truthful anyway.”
She said her own desire is that DeAngelo would end up dealing with the dangers of life in the general prison population “and not housed away in solitary confinement.”


latimes--2020-03-04--Here's where coronavirus cases have been reported in California

Cases of the coronavirus have begun to mount in the United States and are expected to continue to grow in the coming weeks as the virus spreads and testing increases .
“ We are facing a historic public health challenge , ” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier , director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ’ s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases .
“ We will continue to respond to COVID-19 in an aggressive way to contain and blunt the threat of this virus .
While we still hope for the best , we continue to prepare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States.
” In California , more than 50 cases have been reported , including one death that was announced on Wednesday .
About half the cases have been people who caught the virus either on the Diamond Princess cruise ship or in Wuhan , China , where the outbreak was first reported , and were then repatriated to the U.S. and quarantined at California military bases .
The other half were returning travelers or , in at least five instances , people who contracted the virus in their communities .
Here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases : Two cases have been reported so far .
The first was a healthcare worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital whose diagnosis was announced Sunday .
The worker came into contact with a Solano County woman who was treated at the hospital before she was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center and diagnosed with COVID-19 .
The healthcare worker was isolated at home .
The second case , involving a person in Berkeley who visited a country experiencing an outbreak , was reported Tuesday .
That individual has remained at home in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feb. 19 that a Humboldt County resident who had recently traveled to China had been diagnosed with the coronavirus .
The patient self-isolated at home and has since been cleared and released , officials said .
There have been seven confirmed cases .
The first was a Wuhan resident who was flying through L.A. on Jan. 22 on his way back to China and sought care at Los Angeles International Airport , health officials announced Jan. 26 .
The patient was taken directly to a hospital , was quarantined for 14 days and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public health director Barbara Ferrer .
More than 50 people who came into contact with the patient , many of whom were health workers , were identified as at risk and asked to limit contact with others , Ferrer said .
Health officials on Wednesday confirmed six additional patients , all of whom they said were exposed to the virus through close contact with others who were infected .
Half of the new cases were travelers who had visited northern Italy , two were family members who had close contact with a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the other had a job that put them in contact with travelers , officials said .
L.A. county and city officials declared a state of emergency Wednesday in response to the growing case counts .
There have been three confirmed cases in Orange County .
Public health officials announced Jan. 25 that a returning traveler from Wuhan had tested positive for the virus .
The patient was isolated in a hospital and has since recovered , officials said .
Officials confirmed two additional cases Tuesday : One was a man in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her 30s .
Both had visited countries with widespread transmission , officials said .
On Feb. 26 , the county declared a local health emergency in response to the coronavirus .
The move was largely in response to a proposal to move coronavirus patients to a facility in Costa Mesa , which sparked a bitter court battle .
The federal government has since retreated from the plan .
An elderly adult who had tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a cruise became the first person to die from the virus in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced Wednesday .
That individual , who officials said had underlying health conditions , was the county ’ s second confirmed coronavirus patient and had been placed in isolation at Kaiser Permanente Roseville .
Officials said the patient who died was probably exposed during a trip on a Princess Cruises ship that departed Feb. 10 from San Francisco and sailed to Mexico , returning Feb. 21 .
A healthcare worker in Placer County was previously confirmed as a presumptive case , pending confirmation from the CDC .
The individual , now in isolation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hospital worker who came into close contact with a previously confirmed case in Solano County , before that individual was transferred to another hospital and tested for the virus .
A Sacramento County resident who returned to the U.S. from China on Feb. 2 was found to have the virus , officials announced Feb. 21 .
The person took precautionary measures during travel and was asymptomatic but had self-quarantined since returning , according to the county public health department .
Two cases have been reported in San Benito County , both on Feb. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had recently returned from Wuhan became ill and passed the virus on to his wife , also 57 .
Officials said the couple had not left their home since the husband returned from China .
They were not hospitalized and were isolated in their home .
Two cases have been reported in San Diego County , both of them among people who were evacuated from Wuhan and flown to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to be quarantined .
Authorities announced the first case on Feb. 10 and the second two days later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diego Health System shortly after arriving at the base , officials said .
The first patient was mistakenly discharged from the hospital Feb. 9 and sent back to the base after a mix-up with the test results , but was returned to the hospital the following day for care .
Both patients have since recovered and been released .
County public health officials declared a local emergency on Feb. 14 in response to the virus .
Of the 11 cases in the county , at least four were linked to travel .
Five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Santa Clara region while the origin of two cases is under investigation .
Authorities announced the first on Jan. 31 , a Santa Clara County man who fell ill after his Jan. 24 return from China .
Officials said the man had self-isolated at his home , leaving twice to seek medical care .
Three more cases associated with travel have been reported in the county .
Over the weekend , officials announced that a husband and wife who had recently visited Egypt were hospitalized with COVID-19 .
A bigger concern , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ woman who was infected but had no known exposure through travel or contact with another infected person .
The woman had been hospitalized for a respiratory illness .
The most recent two cases , announced Tuesday , prompted county officials to warn people over 50 and with medical conditions to avoid large gatherings , such as sporting events and concerts .
Officials recently reported their first positive case of the virus .
The source of exposure is unknown , as the person has no known exposure to the virus through travel or contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cases in Solano County are associated with evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship , where passengers were quarantined off Japan after some of those who had boarded tested positive for the coronavirus .
Some of the evacuees were taken to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield .
Of those who arrived there , 21 tested positive , the CDC said Wednesday .
Some of them were then transferred to hospitals outside the county .
Solano County is also where the first confirmed case of community spread in the U.S. was reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital with fever and breathing problems was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center , where she was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19 , officials announced Wednesday .
She was “ in her community ” for several days before accessing care , officials said .
The woman had not recently traveled to a high-risk area , nor had she been in contact with someone with the virus .
She was not tested for several days after her initial hospitalization because she did not fit screening criteria set by the CDC at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revised .
More than 100 people , most of whom were health workers who had contact with the woman , have been asked to self-quarantine .
On Sunday , officials announced that one of them , a worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital , was also diagnosed with coronavirus and was in in isolation at home .
The CDC has dispatched a team to help local officials identify others who may have come in contact with the woman , who is reported to be slowly recovering .
So far , her family members have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in quarantine , officials said .
On Thursday , the county declared a local emergency due to the virus .
Officials in Sonoma County declared a local health emergency Monday after announcing two people had been diagnosed with the virus .
One patient , who officials said earlier this week was isolated and in stable condition , had recently traveled internationally on a cruise unrelated to the Diamond Princess cruise .

Alex Wigglesworth, Colleen Shalby, Soumya Karlamangla

A woman walks by the NorthBay VacaValley Hospital in Vacaville, Calif. A VacaValley health worker came in contact with a Solano County woman who was treated at the hospital before she was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center and diagnosed with COVID-19.
Note: The numbers on this page are no longer up to date. Track the latest statewide and local totals using our California coronavirus tracker.
Tracking the coronavirus in California The latest maps and charts on the spread of COVID-19 in California.
Cases of the coronavirus have begun to mount in the United States and are expected to continue to grow in the coming weeks as the virus spreads and testing increases.
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“We are facing a historic public health challenge,” said Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “We will continue to respond to COVID-19 in an aggressive way to contain and blunt the threat of this virus. While we still hope for the best, we continue to prepare for this virus to become widespread in the United States.”
In California, at least 198 cases have been reported, including four deaths — the most recent of which was announced Wednesday. Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency in response to the outbreak. On Wednesday, the World Health Organization officially referred to the coronavirus as a pandemic for the first time.
About 24 of the cases in California have been people who caught the virus either on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan or in Wuhan, China, where the outbreak was first reported, and were then repatriated to the U.S. and quarantined at California military bases. The others were returning travelers or, in at least 10 instances, people who contracted the virus in their communities.
A growing number of cases are tied to another Princess Cruises ship, the Grand Princess, which departed San Francisco on Feb. 11 and sailed to Mexico before returning Feb. 21, dropping off some passengers and then departing for another voyage to Hawaii. The ship docked at the Port of Oakland Monday and began the painstaking process of unloading passengers.
Newsom previously said most of the 962 California residents aboard the ship who did not need immediate medical attention would be taken to Travis Air Force Base for 14 days of quarantine, with a smaller number going to the Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego County. Up to two dozen passengers will be taken to the Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove for their quarantine period.
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Here is a geographical rundown of the California cases:
Alameda County
Four cases have been reported so far. The first was a healthcare worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital whose diagnosis was announced March 1. The worker came into contact with a Solano County woman who was treated at the hospital before she was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center and diagnosed with COVID-19. The healthcare worker was isolated at home.
The second case, involving a person in Berkeley who visited a country experiencing an outbreak, was reported March 3. That individual has remained at home in a self-imposed quarantine since returning.
The third, reported by the county’s health agency Friday, is an older adult who has underlying medical conditions and was a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise ship from Feb. 11 to Feb. 22.
Most recently, the city of Alameda confirmed Wednesday that a firefighter had tested positive for the virus.
The county has declared a local emergency.
Contra Costa County
Contra Costa County has reported 16 cases. The first person, who had no known history of travel to a high-risk area or contact with another confirmed case, tested positive March 3, officials said. The test was performed by the county’s public health lab. The patient was being treated at a hospital.
On Friday, officials announced three more patients. Two were passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship. The third person had close contact with a person who was diagnosed with the coronavirus in another jurisdiction, county health officials said. All three people were being isolated at their homes.
The county is now recommending that adults older than 50 and people with underlying medical conditions that could put them at risk of contracting COVID-19 avoid mass gatherings like parades, sporting events or concerts.
Contra Costa County announced five new cases on Sunday, four of which had no known history of travel outside the U.S. or contact with a confirmed case. The four residents were hospitalized, Contra Costa Health Services said in a news release.
The fifth person had close contact with another person who tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating at home, officials said.
Officials confirmed the county’s 10th case Tuesday.
Fresno County
The county on Saturday confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus, a person who returned from a voyage on the Grand Princess cruise ship on March 6. The person’s family was self-monitoring under the oversight of the Fresno County Department of Public Health, officials said.
Humboldt County
Authorities announced Feb. 19 that a Humboldt County resident who had recently traveled to China had been diagnosed with the coronavirus. The patient, who was voluntarily quarantined at home, has since been cleared and released, officials said.
A traveler wearing a mask passes through the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX on Feb. 8. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
Los Angeles County
There have been 32 confirmed cases and one death — a woman older than 60 who had been visiting the county after extensive travel, including a long layover in South Korea.
Officials said Wednesday that the woman had underlying health issues and died shortly after being hospitalized.
The county’s first patient was a Wuhan resident who was flying through L.A. on Jan. 22 on his way back to China and sought care at Los Angeles International Airport, health officials announced Jan. 26.
The patient was taken directly to a hospital, quarantined for 14 days and released, said L.A. County public health director Barbara Ferrer. More than 50 people who came into contact with the patient, many of whom were health workers, were identified as at risk and were asked to limit contact with others, Ferrer said.
Health officials on March 4 confirmed six additional patients, all of whom they said were exposed to the virus through close contact with others who were infected.
Half of the new cases were travelers who had visited northern Italy, two were family members who had close contact with a person outside of the county who was infected, and the other had a job that put them in contact with travelers, officials said. That person works as a screener at Los Angeles International Airport, according to a source familiar with the case.
L.A. County and city officials declared a state of emergency March 4 in response to the growing case counts.
The next day, officials announced that four more travelers in that same group who visited northern Italy had also tested positive for the virus.
On Friday, officials announced two additional cases — another person in the group of travelers who visited northern Italy, as well as another screener at LAX. Their close contacts were being self-quarantined.
On Saturday, one new case was identified as a resident who had returned from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington, D.C., where there was known exposure to a person infected with the virus.
The county announced two new cases Monday, including its first instance of possible community spread. Both patients are in isolation, and all close contacts are or will be quarantined for 14 days, health officials said.
Officials confirmed another new case Tuesday — a resident who had flown into LAX from Iran and was taken to a medical facility — and six additional cases Wednesday.
Ferrer said that one of the new cases included the county’s second instance of community spread. That individual is hospitalized. Three individuals, one of whom is currently hospitalized, are household contacts of an L.A. County resident previously confirmed to have the virus. One individual had traveled to France and returned home ill and another had traveled to a religious conference in a different state.
On Thursday, L.A. County officials reported three additional cases, two of which had an unidentified source of exposure to the virus. The third was a person who was exposed to the coronavirus by a person who tested positive after attending a conference in Washington, officials said. Out of the three, one person was hospitalized.
Long Beach, which has its own health department, reported its first three cases Monday after preliminary test results indicated two men and one woman had contracted the disease and then a fourth case Wednesday, city officials said.
Elsewhere in the county, a Beverly Hills priest was disagnosed with the coronavirus Wednesday after returning from a trip to St. Louis days prior. In a statement, she told her church members she was “very much on the mend” and had already been through the worst of it.
Madera County
Public health officials announced the county’s first case on Saturday, a person who recently had returned from a Princess Cruises cruise and was in stable condition.
The state Department of Public Health contacted county health officials on March 5 to begin monitoring a husband and wife who had recently returned from the cruise. The couple was isolated in their home, the Madera County Department of Public Health said in a news release.
When one of them developed symptoms, the county worked with Madera Community Hospital to coordinate their medical care and testing. Masked hospital staffers met them at their car and led them directly to an isolation room; at no time did they enter public areas, officials said.
The couple received one visitor at their home before reporting symptoms, and that person is being monitored by communicable disease staff, officials said.
Orange County
Officials are investigating six cases in Orange County . Public health officials announced Jan. 25 that a returning traveler from Wuhan had tested positive for the virus. The patient was isolated in a hospital and since recovered, officials said.
Officials confirmed two additional cases on March 3: One was a man in his 60s and the other a woman in her 30s. Both had visited countries with widespread transmission, officials said.
On Feb. 26, Orange County declared a local health emergency in response to the coronavirus.
The move was largely in response to a proposal to move coronavirus patients to a facility in Costa Mesa, which sparked a bitter court battle. The federal government has since retreated from the plan.
Placer County
The county has announced a total of seven cases.
An elderly adult who had tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a cruise became the first person to die from the virus in California, Placer County Public Health officials announced March 4.
That individual, who officials said had underlying health conditions, was the county’s second confirmed coronavirus patient and had been placed in isolation at Kaiser Permanente Roseville.
Officials said the patient who died was probably exposed during a trip on the Princess Cruises ship that departed Feb. 11 from San Francisco and sailed to Mexico, returning Feb. 21.
California Grand Princess cruise ship at center of coronavirus fight amid concerns about spread Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus after a California man died after falling ill with the virus while on a cruise ship.
A healthcare worker in Placer County was confirmed on March 2 as a presumptive coronavirus case, pending confirmation from the CDC.
The individual, now in isolation at home, is a NorthBay VacaValley Hospital worker who came into close contact with a previously confirmed case in Solano County, before that patient was transferred to another hospital and tested for the virus.
On Friday, Placer County announced three more cases, all of them among people who had traveled on the Grand Princess cruise ship from San Francisco to Mexico.
Two of the people had mild symptoms that already resolved, while the third continued to experience mild symptoms, the Placer County Public Health Department said in a news release. None of them required hospitalization, and all three were isolated at home, officials said.
The department was working on tracing the people’s contacts to identify more possible cases, officials said.
There were seven confirmed cases as of Tuesday, according to the department.
Riverside County
Officials have reported eight coronavirus cases in Riverside County.
The county on Saturday announced its first “locally acquired” case of the virus, a person who was being treated at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, Riverside University Health System-Public Health said in a statement. Public health officials were still investigating how the person caught the virus, and were working to contact other people who might have been exposed.
Riverside County’s public health officer, Dr. Cameron Kaiser, declared a local and public health emergency on Saturday.
Another Riverside County resident who was evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan and then quarantined at Travis Air Force Base was one of the 20-plus people there who previously tested positive for the virus . That person is continuing to recover in a Northern California hospital and has not returned to Riverside County since leaving the cruise ship, the statement said.
On Monday, county health officials announced three new cases in the Coachella Valley. Two of those individuals were isolated at home and the other went to a local hospital.
Investigators believe those infections were the result of either travel into areas where the coronavirus has been confirmed, or contact with another patient.
Sacramento County
Ten cases have been confirmed in Sacramento County.
A Sacramento County resident who returned to the U.S. from China on Feb. 2 was found to have the virus, officials announced Feb. 21.
The person took precautionary measures during travel and was asymptomatic but had self-quarantined since returning, according to the county public health department.
Last week, Sacramento County announced two more cases, and on March 5, it declared a local and health emergency.
As of Monday, the county had 10 confirmed cases, including one person who has recovered. Among those who tested positive was an elementary-school-aged student in Elk Grove.
Health officials on Tuesday confirmed the county’s first fatality from COVID-19 — a patient in her 90s. The woman was among about 140 patients at an assisted-living facility in Elk Grove.
San Benito County
Two cases were reported in San Benito County on Feb. 2. A man, 57, who had recently returned from Wuhan became ill and passed the virus on to his wife, also 57. Officials said the couple had not left their home since the husband returned from China. They were not hospitalized and were isolated in their home.
A flight with U.S. citizens fleeing the coronavirus in China arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego on Feb. 7. (Howard Lipin / San Diego Union-Tribune)
San Diego County
The county reported two cases among people who were evacuated from Wuhan and flown to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar to be quarantined.
Authorities announced the first case on Feb. 10 and the second two days later. Both patients were hospitalized at San Diego Health System shortly after arriving at the base, officials said.
The first patient was mistakenly discharged from the hospital Feb. 9 and sent back to the base after a mix-up with the test results, but was returned to the hospital the following day for care.
Both patients have since recovered and been released.
County public health officials declared a local emergency on Feb. 14 in response to the virus.
An employee of an AT&T retail store in Chula Vista tested positive for the virus, prompting several stores in the area to be closed for deep cleaning, the company said in a March 5 statement. That employee lived in Orange County, county health officials said.
Health officials announced a presumptive positive case of the coronavirus Monday. A woman in her 50s who had traveled overseas was hospitalized and remains in isolation with serious symptoms, officials said.
San Francisco County
San Francisco has reported 18 cases.
The first two were reported on March 5; the individuals were not related, had no history of travel to a location with confirmed coronavirus infections, and had no known contact with a confirmed case. One was a man in his 90s, hospitalized in serious condition and with underlying health condition; the other was a woman in her 40s, who was hospitalized in fair condition.
Six more were confirmed on Saturday. Each had a known contact with someone found to be infected with the virus.
Officials announced five new cases Monday, bringing the count to 13. Two of those cases are the result of community transmission.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management reported one new case Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 14. Officials said that patient, who had known contact with another person who tested positive, is hospitalized.
On Wednesday, San Francisco announced a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people as the city fights to slow the spread of the disease.
San Mateo County
San Mateo County initially reported two cases of the virus. The first was a person who was repatriated to the U.S. by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That person was in isolation and in good condition, officials said last week.
Also early last week, officials reported their second positive case of the virus. The source of exposure was unknown, as the person had no known exposure to the virus through travel or contact with another infected person. The patient was hospitalized and in isolation, officials said.
As of Wednesday, the number of positive cases in the county stood at 15.
Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County remains the largest outbreak in California, with at least 48 confirmed cases, up by 3 late Wednesday.
On Monday, the county announced its first death related to the coronavirus — a woman in her 60s who had been hospitalized for several weeks.
Authorities announced the first case Jan. 31, a Santa Clara County man who fell ill after his Jan. 24 return from China. Officials said the man had self-isolated at his home, leaving twice to seek medical care.
Three more cases associated with travel were reported in the county. On March 1, officials announced that a husband and wife who had recently visited Egypt were hospitalized with COVID-19.
A bigger concern, officials said, was an older adult woman who was infected but had no known exposure through travel or contact with another infected person. The woman had been hospitalized for a respiratory illness.
Two more cases announced March 3 prompted county officials to warn people over 50 and with medical conditions to avoid large gatherings, such as sporting events and concerts. The county also announced three more cases Wednesday.
On March 5, Santa Clara County announced six more cases — three men and three women. Four of them were close contacts with other confirmed cases and were isolated at home. Two of them were hospitalized.
County health officials recommended that large events be postponed or canceled and that employers take steps to make it more feasible for employees to work in ways that minimize group gatherings and contact with others.
On Friday, public health officials reported four new cases. One was a man whom officials described as a household contact of a previously confirmed case in the county, and one was a man who had recently returned from a trip to India, officials said. Both people were isolated at home.
Officials weren’t sure how the other two people contracted the virus. One was a man who was isolated at home; the other was a woman who was hospitalized, officials said. Both cases were under investigation.
On Saturday, eight new cases were reported. All were said to be under investigation.
Santa Cruz County
On Saturday, a Santa Cruz County resident was confirmed to be infected with the virus. The person was previously on the Grand Princess cruise ship journey between San Francisco and Mexico between Feb. 11 and Feb. 21.
Health officials announced a second case in the county Monday. Investigators have determined that person, who had previously traveled to Seattle, likely contracted the virus there before flying home.
Solano County
Most of the cases in Solano County are associated with evacuees from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where passengers were quarantined off Japan after some of those who had boarded tested positive for the coronavirus.
Some of the evacuees were taken to Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield. Of those who arrived there, 21 tested positive, the CDC said Feb. 26. Some of them were then transferred to hospitals outside the county.
Solano County is also where the first confirmed case of community spread in the U.S. was reported.
An older woman who was hospitalized at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital with fever and breathing problems was transferred to UC Davis Medical Center, where she was eventually diagnosed with COVID-19, officials announced Feb. 26. She was “in her community” for several days before accessing care, officials said.
The woman had not recently traveled to a high-risk area, nor had she been in contact with someone with the virus. She was not tested for several days after her initial hospitalization because she did not fit screening criteria set by the CDC at the time. The guidelines have since been revised.
More than 100 people, most of whom were health workers who had contact with the woman, were asked to self-quarantine. On March 1, officials announced that one of them, a worker at NorthBay VacaValley Hospital, was also diagnosed with coronavirus and was in in isolation at home.
The CDC has dispatched a team to help local officials identify others who might have come in contact with the woman, who was reported to be slowly recovering. Officials said that, so far, her family members had tested negative for the virus but remained in quarantine.
On Feb. 27, the county declared a local emergency due to the virus.
As of Sunday, Solano County was reporting three confirmed cases of COVID-19, two of which involved residents contracting the disease in the community. That number had grown to six as of Tuesday.
Sonoma County
Officials in Sonoma County declared a local health emergency March 2 after announcing two people had been diagnosed with the virus.
One patient, who officials said earlier last week was isolated and in stable condition, had recently traveled internationally on a Princess Cruises voyage.
On March 5, county health officials confirmed that a second cruise ship passenger had also tested positive. Both that patient and the one announced earlier in the week were in isolation rooms at a local hospital.
Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County confirmed its first two positive cases Wednesday.
One of the individuals was a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise to Mexico and officials said the other is likely a case of community transmission as that person had not traveled anywhere with a known outbreak or been in contact with someone who previously tested positive.
Tulare County
Tulare County announced its first case of the coronavirus late Wednesday.
“It is believed that the virus was contracted out of the area and the individual did enter public areas while showing symptoms,” Tulare County Health and Human Services’ Public Health branch said in a statement.
The person is in stable condition, the statement said.
Ventura County
The county reported its first case of the new coronavirus on Friday — a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise ship who had mild symptoms and was being quarantined at home, officials said.
The person had remained at home resting since returning from the cruise on Feb. 21 and only left to seek medical attention, officials said.
County public health officials said they were working with the state Department of Public Health to notify anyone else who might have come into contact with the person while the individual was seeking medical attention or in transit to Ventura County from San Francisco, where the person disembarked the ship.
The person’s spouse, who was also on the cruise but did not have symptoms of the virus, was also being quarantined at home, officials said.
A total of six Ventura County residents had traveled on the cruise, and public health officials contacted all of them, the Ventura County Public Health Department said in a news release. Of the four remaining residents who were passengers, one was symptomatic and being tested, officials said. The other three had reported no symptoms.
The county announced a second confirmed case Wednesday, a traveler who returned from a trip to Italy and became sick. That person has been quarantined at home after being tested by a healthcare provider in a neighboring county, officials said.
The county’s Public Health Lab has conducted 77 COVID-19 tests and only returned the two presumptive positives. More than two dozen other travelers have been quarantined at home, county officials said. There have been no confirmed person-to-person transmissions in Ventura County.
Yolo County
Yolo County reported its first case Friday, a woman who officials think contracted the virus in the community.
The woman had underlying health conditions and was hospitalized, officials said. She appeared to have acquired the virus “through community transmission,” the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency said in a news release. The agency was planning to monitor the woman’s close personal contacts for symptoms of the illness and said staff was working with healthcare providers to identify potential additional cases.
The county planned to declare local and health emergencies, the agency said.