latimes--2020-03-08--Grand Princess cruise ship to dock in Oakland on Monday

The nearly 3,000 travelers stranded off the San Francisco coast on the Grand Princess cruise ship because of a coronavirus outbreak will dock in Oakland on Monday , giving sick passengers a chance to receive medical treatment after more than two weeks at sea .
Princess Cruises announced on Twitter that federal , state and local authorities have cleared the ship to dock at the Port of Oakland on Monday at a “ time to be determined.
” The cruise company said “ guests who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization ” will be taken off the ship first and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” At least 21 passengers on board the ship have confirmed cases of COVID-19 , which is caused by the coronavirus that originated late last year in China .
Other passengers will disembark and receive health screenings as directed by the California Governor ’ s Office of Emergency Services , the company said .
After the screenings , California residents will be taken to “ a federally operated facility within California for testing and isolation , ” and “ non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board for quarantine and treatment , the company said .
Princess Cruises initially stated that the docking would begin Sunday , then pushed it back to Monday after “ further review by the state and federal authorities.
” U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro ( D-Texas ) said some of the ship ’ s passengers will be sent to Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio .
“ I believe the folks with symptoms are mostly staying in California , ” Castro tweeted .
“ Check me on that but that ’ s my best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Hawaii on Feb. 21 .
The ship was supposed to proceed to Ensenada , but the on-board coronavirus outbreak prompted the vessel to sail to San Francisco instead .
It reached the California coast Thursday , but was not able to dock .
In addition to the 21 people who have already tested positive for the virus , an unknown number of others are sick and awaiting tests .
Before the Hawaii excursion , the Grand Princess took an ill-fated cruise to Mexico .
One of the passengers , a 75-year-old man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the trip and became the first Californian to die of COVID-19 .
Altogether , a dozen coronavirus cases in California have been linked to passengers on that cruise .
Passengers on the ship are eager to disembark but remain frustrated by the many unknowns that remain .
Debra Gooch Healer , a passenger from Napa , said all she knew is that she would be taken to a federal facility in California .
She did not know where that will be or how long she will have to stay there .
“ Any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us our rights ?
?
” she tweeted .
She and others also complained that they were forced to remain in their rooms , and that food supplies had run low .
Another woman who said her parents are stuck on the ship tweeted at Gov .
Gavin Newsom and Vice President Mike Pence to send the passengers more food .
“ I can handle my family in quarantine , ” she wrote .
“ I can not handle them being denied basic necessities.
” At least 433 coronavirus cases have been confirmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in California .
Worldwide , more than 106,000 people have been infected and nearly 3,600 have died .

Grand Princess passengers showing signs of the coronavirus are expected to remain in California, while others will be sent to a military base in the San Antonio area.
As a cruise ship with nearly 3,000 stranded travelers prepares to dock Monday in the Port of Oakland, top health officials warned that the country has entered a new stage in dealing with the deadly coronavirus — one in which containment is no longer possible.
“We’re past the point of containment,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration during the first two years of President Trump’s administration, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
“We have to implement broad mitigation strategies. The next two weeks are really going to change the complexion in this country. We’ll get through this, but it’s going to be a hard period. We’re looking at two months, probably, of difficulty,” Gottlieb said.
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U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams said that shifting to a mitigation phase means that communities will see more cases and need to start thinking about whether it makes sense to cancel large gatherings, close schools and make it more feasible for employees to work from home.
That’s what happened Sunday, with more reported school closings, warnings against group gatherings and cancellation of big events, such as the BNP Paribas Open, an Indian Wells tennis tournament scheduled to start this week.
“And that’s going to be different in Seattle than what it’s going to be in Jackson, Miss.,” Adams said on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “But communities need to have that conversation and prepare for more cases so we can prevent more deaths.”
Hours later on Sunday, health officials in central Washington reported the state’s 19th death attributed to COVID-19, the first outside the Seattle area.
The resident of Quincy, Wash., whose gender was not disclosed, was “in their 80s,” officials had said previously, and died at Central Washington Hospital in Wenatchee. The person had not traveled outside of the country recently, and was the only resident of Grant County to have tested positive for the disease.
In California, Santa Clara County has been hardest hit, with five new cases Sunday, bringing its total to 37. The only other counties nationwide with higher numbers are King County, Wash., and Westchester County, N.Y.
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Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said that people who are older or have underlying health conditions should also consider avoiding large crowds and travel.
“If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable,” Fauci said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”
“So it’s our responsibility to protect the vulnerable. When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. And above all, don’t get on a cruise ship.”
The comments from current and former officials marked a big shift, acknowledging that the country is past the point of being able to contain the outbreak and needs to pivot to aggressive efforts to mitigate the virus’ spread.
Trump administration officials have previously sought to downplay the risk to Americans posed by the coronavirus outbreak.
In California, officials said the Grand Princess cruise ship would dock Monday at the Port of Oakland and outlined plans for the nearly 3,000 people aboard the ship, about 1,000 of whom are from California. They stressed that no one on board would be released immediately to the general public.
All of those passengers will be quarantined for 14 days at military installations, the Department of Health and Human Services said.
The Port of Oakland was chosen because it is one of a limited number of docks that can accommodate a ship the size of the Grand Princess, and because it was the easiest “to seal off, securely move passengers toward their isolation destinations and protect the safety of the public,” the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said in a statement.
On Sunday, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the ship would dock Monday at the commercial Port of Oakland to disembark all passengers and those who need medical attention.
The governor expected the operation to take up to three days but emphasized that the situation was “fluid” and could take longer, in part because the port does not regularly deal with cruise ships and there would only be small windows of opportunity for it to enter the port, based on tides and currents.
Newsom said that after the medical cases disembark, California residents would be taken off the ship first, with the majority being sent to Travis Air Force base in nearby Solano County to begin a 14-day quarantine.
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It is the same base where passengers from the Diamond Princess were recently held after that ship had an outbreak of the virus, and where there has been suspected community spread of COVID-19. The rest of the California residents will be sent to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
The remainder of the American passengers will be sent to Joint Base San Antonio Lackland in Texas or Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, while foreign passengers will be sent to their home countries via charter flights from Oakland International Airport. Newsom emphasized those cruise passengers traveling by air would have no contact with regular travelers.
Crew members will be quarantined on board, with the ship leaving the Oakland port. The majority of the crew are foreign nationals, and Newsom said that many are younger, a demographic with less risk from COVID-19.
He said that 12 positive cases of COVID-19 had been identified in passengers on the previous cruise, which went from San Francisco to Mexico, and included a Placer County man who later died of the virus. The cruise line and California health officials have disagreed on whether the man contracted the illness on board or was infected prior to the journey.
Route of the Grand Princess (Thomas Suh Lauder / Los Angeles Times)
Health officials are also monitoring 1,540 passengers on the previous Grand Princess cruise to Mexico, Newsom said.
The governor’s detailed account of next steps brought comfort to some on the ship who are growing frustrated with a lack of information.
Canadian passenger Karen Spoon said prior to the news briefing that she is “growing frustrated that my own government hasn’t said much ... I’m starting to feel the effects of cabin fever.” After hearing that the California governor said charter flights would repatriate her, Spoon said, “If that’s correct, then yippee!”
Debbie Loftus, a passenger from Wisconsin, said she was pleased Newsom spoke directly to passengers and thought the news conference, which she watched, represented a “change in attitude.” “It is nice that he is now welcoming us into California. A few days ago, he did not want us anywhere near his state,” Loftus said.
Loftus said that many uncertainties remained that are causing her anxiety.
“This is all going to be a very new experience, going to a military base in Oakland, getting on what I assume is not going to be a commercial airline or ... going someplace I’ve never been,” she said. “Not sure what the accommodations are going to be like and how long we’re going to be held there. Yes, it’s a little bit anxiety-producing, but [we] will handle it minute by minute.”
Matt LaGesse’s mother and aunt are on the ship, and he has been trying for days to get information, with little luck. LaGesse said he was angered by the president’s comments about potentially keeping passengers aboard, and what he felt was a lack of planning and leadership around the crisis.
Despite details given by Newsom, he remained frustrated and uncertain about what would come next. LaGesse said he has not been contacted about the disembarkation plan by authorities or the cruise line.
“As a family member and son of a mom that I really, really love ... I’m scared and nervous and disappointed,” he said Sunday. “You expect your leadership ... to give you clear messaging so that you can understand the plan”
At least 21 people on board the ship have confirmed cases of COVID-19, which is caused by the coronavirus that originated late last year in China.
#GrandPrincess Update: The logistics plan went into further review by the state and federal authorities and the ship will not berth in Oakland on Sunday. It will now be Monday – time to be determined. — Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) March 8, 2020
Princess Cruises initially stated that the docking would begin Sunday, then pushed it back to Monday after “further review by the state and federal authorities.”
Newsom said the number of Californians testing positive for COVID-19 jumped from 88 Saturday to 114 Sunday, but he emphasized that the number was expected to rise as testing became more widely available.
Newsom said California has testing kits for 8,000 individuals and that a private lab — Quest Diagnostics in San Juan Capistrano — will also have the capacity to run an additional 2,000 tests each day beginning Monday, if needed.
There are also 15 public labs processing tests, including a facility in Richmond, where testing for the Grand Princess passengers was conducted.
Newsom said California has so far tested about 788 people for the virus, but he expected that figure to increase dramatically in the coming days with the new capacity.
“It goes without saying that if you are elderly, you have preexisting conditions ... I would highly recommend, almost demand, that you not go on a cruise,” Newsom said.
The Department of State also announced Sunday that all U.S. citizens should avoid traveling by cruise ship for the time being, noting that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has cited an increased risk of COVID-19 infection on such ships, and that many countries have denied port of entry rights and prevented passengers from disembarking.
California U.S. has a coronavirus warning for its citizens: Don’t travel on cruise ships The State Department on Sunday issued the warning, which could further hurt the cruise ship industry and the port cities that depend on it.
The passengers aboard the Grand Princess departed for Hawaii on Feb. 21. The ship was supposed to proceed to Ensenada, but the onboard coronavirus outbreak prompted the vessel to sail to San Francisco instead. It reached the California coast Thursday, but was not able to dock.
Before the Hawaii excursion, the Grand Princess took an ill-fated cruise to Mexico. One of the passengers — a 75-year-old man from Placer County — fell ill during the trip and became the first Californian to die of COVID-19. Altogether, a dozen coronavirus cases in California have been linked to passengers on that cruise.
Passengers on the ship are eager to disembark but remain frustrated by the many unknowns that remain.
Debra Gooch Healer, a passenger from Napa, said all she knew is that she would be taken to a federal facility in California. She did not know where that will be or how long she will have to stay there.
“Any ACLU attorney out there who can tell us our rights??” she tweeted.
We just got word we will dock in Port of Oakland tomorrow with embarkation to take a couple of days. Since we live in Calif, we will be taken to a federal facility in state to be tested. No word how long or where. Any ACLU attorney out there can tell us our rights?? — gadgetgirl6 (@gadgetgirl6) March 8, 2020
She and others also complained that they were forced to remain in their rooms, and that food supplies had run low.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California replied via Twitter that the government should “make every effort” to ensure passengers’ rights are protected, including due process rights to appeal any mandatory confinement.
Even in a public health emergency, the government must make every effort to ensure our rights remain protected. This includes due process rights to appeal confinement and the right to legal counsel. https://t.co/7dK4TzXWFx — ACLU of Northern CA (@ACLU_NorCal) March 8, 2020
At least 537 coronavirus cases have been confirmed across the U.S., including 114 in California. Worldwide, more than 109,000 people have been infected and more than 3,800 have died.
Most recently, Riverside County announced its first “locally acquired” case of the virus, a person who is being treated at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage, Riverside University Health System-Public Health said in a statement. Public health officials are still investigating how the person caught the virus, and are working to contact other people who may have been exposed.
The person was taken immediately into an isolation room and had no contact with other patients, said Michael Connors, infection preventionist at Eisenhower Health.
The person, who is an older adult, had not recently traveled or been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case, a family member said.
The person became ill about a week and a half ago and was taken to the hospital on March 1, according to the family member. The person was put on a ventilator and placed in an induced coma on Thursday, the family member said. The ventilator was removed on Sunday, and the patient is now conscious and appears to be recovering, the family member said.
The announcement of the positive result came two days after Murrieta school officials said 71 students had been placed in self-quarantine and a high school would be closed and cleaned because an employee was tested for the coronavirus.
The person who tested positive in Riverside County has no known connection to county schools, public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said Saturday. He declined to disclose additional information about their condition or where they’re thought to have contracted the virus but said that officials believe “the community exposure to be low.”
Kaiser declared a local public health emergency on Saturday.
He said the declaration could affect local events. Coachella and Stagecoach are both scheduled to take place in Indio in April. Kaiser said there’s no clear threshold for recommending the cancellation of such large gatherings, and that each will be assessed on a “case-by-case basis.”
Another Riverside County resident who was evacuated from the Diamond Princess cruise ship off Japan and then quarantined at Travis Air Force Base 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.
Also on Sunday, Contra Costa County announced five new cases of COVID-19, four of which had no known history of travel outside the U.S. or contact with a confirmed case. Those four residents were hospitalized, Contra Costa Health Services said in a news release.
The fifth person had close contact with another person who previously tested positive for COVID-19 and is isolating at home, officials said.
Times staff writers David Lauter, in Washington, Richard Read, in Seattle, and Karen Kaplan contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-08--First case of COVID-19 confirmed in Fresno County

A Grand Princess Cruise passenger has become the first person in Fresno County to test positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 , health officials announced Saturday .
The Fresno County Department of Public Health said two travelers presented themselves for testing at a local hospital on March 6 after returning from a cruise .
One test “ has returned as a presumptive positive case , ” the health department said in a statement .
The individual , who was not identified , has not been hospitalized but instead is home and “ self-monitoring.
” “ What that means is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the person and monitors the symptoms , ” David Luchini , assistant director of the county health department , said in an interview .
Luchini said the health department will provide more details at a news conference on Sunday morning .
The Grand Princess sailed to Mexico last month .
One of the passengers , a 75-year-old man from Placer County , died of COVID-19 on Wednesday .
The ship then traveled to Hawaii with nearly 3,000 passengers , at least 21 of whom are now infected with the coronavirus .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but is being held off the coast of San Francisco while officials try to figure out what to do with the passengers .
Health officials say the case was travel-related and not an instance of community spread .
The county health department also said there is no immediate threat to the general public , and that school closures and event cancellations are not recommended .
“ Fresno County residents , students , workers , and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good public health hygiene as this is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the statement stated .

The Fresno County Department of Public Health confirmed Saturday that a Grand Princess cruise ship passenger who returned home March 6 tested positive for COVID-19.
A Grand Princess Cruise passenger has become the first person in Fresno County to test positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, health officials announced Saturday.
The Fresno County Department of Public Health said two travelers presented themselves for testing at a local hospital on March 6 after returning from a cruise. One test “has returned as a presumptive positive case,” the health department said in a statement.
The individual, who was not identified, has not been hospitalized but instead is home and “self-monitoring.”
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“What that means is that the health department stays in contact with the person and monitors the symptoms,” David Luchini, assistant director of the county health department, said in an interview.
Luchini said the health department will provide more details at a news conference on Sunday morning.
The Grand Princess sailed to Mexico last month. One of the passengers, a 75-year-old man from Placer County, died of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
The ship then traveled to Hawaii with nearly 3,000 passengers, at least 21 of whom are now infected with the coronavirus. The vessel has returned to the Bay Area but is being held off the coast of San Francisco while officials try to figure out what to do with the passengers.
Health officials say the case was travel-related and not an instance of community spread.
The county health department also said there is no immediate threat to the general public, and that school closures and event cancellations are not recommended.
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“Fresno County residents, students, workers, and visitors should continue to engage in their regular activities and practice good public health hygiene as this is the height of flu season,” the statement stated.


latimes--2020-03-08--NASA's newest Mars rover gets a name: Perseverance

NASA ’ s next Mars rover finally has a name : Perseverance .
The six-wheeled robotic explorer will blast off this summer to collect Martian samples for eventual return to Earth .
The name was suggested by seventh-grader Alex Mather as part of a naming contest for U.S. schoolchildren .
The space agency announced the winner Thursday at Alex ’ s school in Burke , Va. , and he got to read his winning essay live on NASA TV .
“ We are a species of explorers and we will meet many setbacks on the way to Mars .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wrote .
“ We , not as a nation , but as humans , will not give up .
The human race will always persevere into the future.
” NASA ’ s associate administrator for science missions , Thomas Zurbuchen , noted that the space agency ’ s Curiosity rover has been roaming around Mars since 2012 , when Alex and his classmates were little kids .
“ Perseverance and curiosity together are what exploration is all about , ” he said .
Nearly 4,700 volunteer judges had narrowed a pool of 28,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Once it was down to nine finalists , the public was invited to vote online .
Mather and his family won a trip to Cape Canaveral , Fla. , to watch Perseverance when it is launched into space in July .
Alex became enamored with space at age 11 while attending Space Camp in Huntsville , Ala .
He said he wants to become an engineer and work for NASA .
The rover was designed and built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge .
It is undergoing final preparations at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida .
The nameplate will be on the rover ’ s robot arm and serve as a protective rock guard .

Alex Mather reads his essay about why the Mars 2020 rover should be named Perseverance.
NASA’s next Mars rover finally has a name: Perseverance.
The six-wheeled robotic explorer will blast off this summer to collect Martian samples for eventual return to Earth.
The name was suggested by seventh-grader Alex Mather as part of a naming contest for U.S. schoolchildren. The space agency announced the winner Thursday at Alex’s school in Burke, Va., and he got to read his winning essay live on NASA TV.
“We are a species of explorers and we will meet many setbacks on the way to Mars. However, we can persevere,” Alex wrote. “We, not as a nation, but as humans, will not give up. The human race will always persevere into the future.”
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NASA’s associate administrator for science missions, Thomas Zurbuchen, noted that the space agency’s Curiosity rover has been roaming around Mars since 2012, when Alex and his classmates were little kids.
“Perseverance and curiosity together are what exploration is all about,” he said.
Science & Medicine How NASA will bring a little bit of Mars back to Earth NASA and the European Space Agency have a complex plan to collect samples of Martian rock and soil and send them to Earth. Here’s how it will work.
Nearly 4,700 volunteer judges had narrowed a pool of 28,000 contest entries down to 155 semifinalists. Once it was down to nine finalists, the public was invited to vote online.
Mather and his family won a trip to Cape Canaveral, Fla., to watch Perseverance when it is launched into space in July.
Alex became enamored with space at age 11 while attending Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala. He said he wants to become an engineer and work for NASA.
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The rover was designed and built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. It is undergoing final preparations at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The nameplate will be on the rover’s robot arm and serve as a protective rock guard.


latimes--2020-03-07--¿Cuál es la tasa de mortalidad del nuevo coronavirus y por qué sigue cambiando?

Si 100 personas se infectan con el nuevo coronavirus de China , ¿cuántas morirán ?
Durante semanas , parecía que la respuesta era 2 .
Quizá un poco más , o un poco menos .
El cálculo se realizó comparando la cifra total de individuos con casos confirmados de COVID-19 con el número de personas que murieron a causa de él .
A medida que ambos números crecieron , la proporción estaba destinada a cambiar .
La cifra del 2 % parecía estable el 24 de febrero , cuando un estudio masivo de casi 45.000 pacientes chinos cuyas infecciones habían @ @ @ @ @ @ @ una tasa de letalidad de 2.3 % .
Más tarde esa semana , el 28 de febrero , un estudio de casi 1.100 pacientes chinos sugirió una tasa de mortalidad más baja , del 1.4 % .
Cuatro días después , el 3 de marzo , la Organización Mundial de la Salud informó que la tasa de mortalidad global era del 3.4 % .
¿Cómo podría haber cambiado tanto en tan poco tiempo ?
“ Es difícil decir cuáles son las tasas de letalidad hasta que esto se asiente ” , indicó el @ @ @ @ @ @ @ en enfermedades infecciosas de la Universidad de California en San Francisco .
“ No es una estadística para mirar de forma continua , a pesar de que lo hago tanto como todos los demás ” , admitió .
Eso incluye a miembros del Congreso .
El miércoles , le preguntaron al Dr. Anthony Fauci , director del Instituto Nacional de Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas , qué estaba pasando .
Los instó a que no se obsesionen tanto con la tasa de mortalidad , enfatizando que los científicos aún tienen mucho que aprender al @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cantidad de personas que han sido infectadas con el coronavirus .
El recuento oficial ha superado los 100.000 , pero el número real es probablemente mucho más alto .
Los científicos sospecharon que muchos pacientes que experimentaron sólo síntomas leves nunca vieron a un médico y , por lo tanto , jamás se hicieron una prueba de laboratorio oficial para ver si estaban infectados .
Como resultado , no se incluyeron en la tasa de letalidad .
Tampoco aquellos que querían hacerse la prueba pero no la recibieron debido a la falta de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ que los kits de prueba son limitados , es mejor guardarlos para personas de 80 años con una función pulmonar deficiente y omitir a los de 40 años más saludables con enfermedad leve .
Dejando de lado los problemas , la tasa de mortalidad puede cambiar en el transcurso de un brote .
Por ejemplo , los autores del estudio de casi 45.000 pacientes chinos notaron que la tasa de letalidad en Hubei , la provincia en el centro del brote , fue de 2.9 % .
En otras partes de China , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ que a medida que China tenga más completo el conteo de muertes , la tasa de mortalidad fuera de Hubei aumentará .
Pero también es posible que la diferencia sea real porque las autoridades de salud pública fuera de Hubei tuvieron la oportunidad de prepararse para el coronavirus , “ para que las personas no mueran al mismo ritmo que antes ” , manifestó Rutherford .
En UCSF , por ejemplo , los médicos están preparados para tratar el coronavirus en una instalación de contención establecida en el estacionamiento de la sala de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmados hasta el viernes por la noche , Corea del Sur tiene más pacientes con coronavirus que cualquier otro país además de China .
Ese alto número puede ser en parte una consecuencia del amplio programa de pruebas del país que involucró a decenas de miles de personas .
Cuando se compara con las 44 muertes del país , el índice de letalidad es inferior al 0.7 % .
Esa cifra puede ofrecer una mejor idea de la verdadera tasa de mortalidad de COVID-19 , dijo el Dr. Jeremy Faust , médico de @ @ @ @ @ @ @ en Boston e instructor en la Facultad de Medicina de Harvard .
“ Al examinar a tanta gente , pudieron en realidad encontrar más casos ” , declaró Faust .
“ Significa que notaron que la enfermedad estaba en todas partes , y no mata a tanta gente ” .
“ Mientras más pruebas hagas , más precisos serán tus números ” , agregó .
Rutherford predijo que para cuando la expansión se calme , la tasa de letalidad general para el COVID-19 caerá a entre 1 % y 2 % .
Fauci @ @ @ @ @ @ @ de mortalidad podría llegar a ser tan baja como 1 % .
Pero incluso si ese es el caso , consideró , aún sería 10 veces peor que la tasa promedio de letalidad por la gripe estacional .
Para leer esta nota en inglés , haga clic aquí

Los soldados surcoreanos trabajan para contener el brote de coronavirus rociando solución antiséptica en el distrito de Gangnam de Seúl. La tasa de mortalidad de COVID-19 en Corea del Sur es mucho más baja que en China.
Si 100 personas se infectan con el nuevo coronavirus de China, ¿cuántas morirán?
Durante semanas, parecía que la respuesta era 2. Quizá un poco más, o un poco menos.
El cálculo se realizó comparando la cifra total de individuos con casos confirmados de COVID-19 con el número de personas que murieron a causa de él. A medida que ambos números crecieron, la proporción estaba destinada a cambiar.
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La cifra del 2% parecía estable el 24 de febrero, cuando un estudio masivo de casi 45.000 pacientes chinos cuyas infecciones habían sido confirmadas con pruebas de laboratorio reportó una tasa de letalidad de 2.3%.
Más tarde esa semana, el 28 de febrero, un estudio de casi 1.100 pacientes chinos sugirió una tasa de mortalidad más baja, del 1.4%.
Cuatro días después, el 3 de marzo, la Organización Mundial de la Salud informó que la tasa de mortalidad global era del 3.4%.
¿Cómo podría haber cambiado tanto en tan poco tiempo?
“Es difícil decir cuáles son las tasas de letalidad hasta que esto se asiente”, indicó el Dr. George Rutherford, epidemiólogo y experto en enfermedades infecciosas de la Universidad de California en San Francisco.
“No es una estadística para mirar de forma continua, a pesar de que lo hago tanto como todos los demás”, admitió.
Eso incluye a miembros del Congreso. El miércoles, le preguntaron al Dr. Anthony Fauci, director del Instituto Nacional de Alergias y Enfermedades Infecciosas, qué estaba pasando. Los instó a que no se obsesionen tanto con la tasa de mortalidad, enfatizando que los científicos aún tienen mucho que aprender al respecto.
La mayor incertidumbre rodea la cantidad de personas que han sido infectadas con el coronavirus. El recuento oficial ha superado los 100.000, pero el número real es probablemente mucho más alto.
Los científicos sospecharon que muchos pacientes que experimentaron sólo síntomas leves nunca vieron a un médico y, por lo tanto, jamás se hicieron una prueba de laboratorio oficial para ver si estaban infectados. Como resultado, no se incluyeron en la tasa de letalidad.
Tampoco aquellos que querían hacerse la prueba pero no la recibieron debido a la falta de recursos. En una situación en la que los kits de prueba son limitados, es mejor guardarlos para personas de 80 años con una función pulmonar deficiente y omitir a los de 40 años más saludables con enfermedad leve.
Dejando de lado los problemas, la tasa de mortalidad puede cambiar en el transcurso de un brote.
Por ejemplo, los autores del estudio de casi 45.000 pacientes chinos notaron que la tasa de letalidad en Hubei, la provincia en el centro del brote, fue de 2.9%. En otras partes de China, fue del 0.4%.
Es posible que a medida que China tenga más completo el conteo de muertes, la tasa de mortalidad fuera de Hubei aumentará.
Pero también es posible que la diferencia sea real porque las autoridades de salud pública fuera de Hubei tuvieron la oportunidad de prepararse para el coronavirus, “para que las personas no mueran al mismo ritmo que antes”, manifestó Rutherford.
En UCSF, por ejemplo, los médicos están preparados para tratar el coronavirus en una instalación de contención establecida en el estacionamiento de la sala de emergencias, dijo.
Otros países informan diferentes tasas de mortalidad.
Con 6.767 casos confirmados hasta el viernes por la noche, Corea del Sur tiene más pacientes con coronavirus que cualquier otro país además de China. Ese alto número puede ser en parte una consecuencia del amplio programa de pruebas del país que involucró a decenas de miles de personas. Cuando se compara con las 44 muertes del país, el índice de letalidad es inferior al 0.7%.
Esa cifra puede ofrecer una mejor idea de la verdadera tasa de mortalidad de COVID-19, dijo el Dr. Jeremy Faust, médico de emergencias en el Hospital Brigham and Women en Boston e instructor en la Facultad de Medicina de Harvard.
“Al examinar a tanta gente, pudieron en realidad encontrar más casos”, declaró Faust. “Significa que notaron que la enfermedad estaba en todas partes, y no mata a tanta gente”.
“Mientras más pruebas hagas, más precisos serán tus números”, agregó.
Rutherford predijo que para cuando la expansión se calme, la tasa de letalidad general para el COVID-19 caerá a entre 1% y 2%.
Fauci estuvo de acuerdo en que la tasa de mortalidad podría llegar a ser tan baja como 1%. Pero incluso si ese es el caso, consideró, aún sería 10 veces peor que la tasa promedio de letalidad por la gripe estacional.
Para leer esta nota en inglés, haga clic aquí


latimes--2020-03-07--False alarm leads to lockdown at Riverside mall

A false alarm at the Galleria at Tyler Shopping Mall in Riverside Saturday afternoon advised shoppers and workers to shelter @ @ @ @ @ though no threat was found .
Ryan Railsbeck , a spokesman for the Riverside Police @ @ @ @ @ alarm system was “ falsely activated ” at 5:15 p.m. That led to a lockdown @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We sent just about everybody , ” Railsbeck said .
“ We had @ @ @ @ @ The police department has at least one officer assigned to the mall at all times @ @ @ @ @ Railsbeck estimated arriving officers needed less than 10 minutes to confirm there was no danger @ @ @ @ @ s security system was inadvertently tripped .
“ There was no shooting and no shots @ @ @ @ @ ” said Railsbeck , countering social media posts claiming there was gunfire .

A false alarm at the Galleria at Tyler Shopping Mall in Riverside Saturday afternoon advised shoppers and workers to shelter in place or evacuate, though no threat was found.
Ryan Railsbeck, a spokesman for the Riverside Police Department, said a mall alarm system was “falsely activated” at 5:15 p.m. That led to a lockdown and an immediate police response.
“We sent just about everybody,” Railsbeck said. “We had a very large response.”
The police department has at least one officer assigned to the mall at all times, according to Railsbeck.
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Railsbeck estimated arriving officers needed less than 10 minutes to confirm there was no danger and that the mall’s security system was inadvertently tripped.
“There was no shooting and no shots were heard or fired,” said Railsbeck, countering social media posts claiming there was gunfire.
Mall management was unavailable for comment.


latimes--2020-03-07--Mexico plays down chance that Grand Princess spread coronavirus, but questions multiply

Posters and official fliers in this coastal tourist hot spot seek to allay concerns about the fast-spreading global health menace that has left victims from China to Italy to California .
“ Baja California Sur is coronavirus free and that ’ s how we want to stay !
” proclaims one sign .
But even though officials here say Baja has so far avoided the COVID-19 contagion , questions have been raised about whether passengers on the Grand Princess , a cruise ship with several infected crew members and passengers , could have either picked up or spread the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mexican Pacific ports during a Feb. 11-21 trip from San Francisco .
On Saturday , a cruise line official reported that one 75-year-old California passenger , who later died of the virus , was infected before boarding the ship on Feb. 11 , and was sick several days before the boat returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 .
According to Dr. Grant Tarling , the cruise ’ s medical officer , the Placer County man didn ’ t visit the ship ’ s doctor until Feb. 20 , but started exhibiting symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was before the vessel made its first Mexican port stop , Feb. 16 in Puerto Vallarta .
It went on to visit Manzanillo that same day , stopped in Mazatlan on Feb. 17 , then anchored in Cabo San Lucas on Feb. 19 .
Complicating matters , Placer County health officials have disputed Tarling ’ s information , saying the diseased man “ likely contracted the disease during international travel to Mexico , ” which could mean he contracted it on the boat or during a shore visit .
It is not publicly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any stops .
What is known is that many passengers on the Grand Princess made shore visits at each port , according to persons who were part of the trip .
During its layovers at Mexican ports , “ literally hundreds ” of people left the ship for shore excursions , said a source on the vessel who asked not to be named for privacy reasons .
“ Passengers really penetrate the port towns , ” said Ter Soloman , who traveled on the Mexican voyage with his wife .
“ For example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the central market , cathedral and historic theater.
” For their part , Mexican authorities have said they have found no indication that anyone who disembarked from the Grand Princess last month spread the virus — or contracted it in Mexico .
Mexico has confirmed a total of six cases of the coronavirus , although none in the state of Baja California Sur .
All six cases , Mexican authorities say , are people who recently traveled to Italy , site of a major outbreak .
All the affected individuals in Mexico @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say , and none have been linked to the international cruise ships that frequent the country ’ s ports .
Yet as the Grand Princess remains held off the coast of San Francisco , the international inquiry into its current and previous passengers is just getting started .
As of Friday , at least 21 people on board , including 19 passengers and 2 crew members , had tested positive , according to federal and state authorities .
After departing Mexico , the cruise ship returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Tarling , chief medical officer for Princess Cruises , said 70 people remained on board for the Hawaii portion of the cruise .
On Friday , authorities in Hawaii confirmed that the state ’ s first case of the coronavirus involved a man who had been a passenger on the Grand Princess during its Mexico leg .
He fell ill after flying home to Oahu from Mexico , but did not exhibit symptoms of the disease during that flight .
In Mexico , authorities say they have a health protocol in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in advance of any illnesses aboard ships .
Passengers and crew members are only allowed to disembark once authorities review ships ’ health logs , confirm the information and determine there is no threat to people on shore , Mexican officials say .
No one from the Grand Princess during its Mexico tour “ presented symptoms that could have put in danger the population , ” Dr. Rafael Félix Espinoza , chief health officer in Mexico ’ s Sinaloa state , said in a statement .
Among the Grand Princess ’ four stops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mazatlán , Sinaloa state .
Prior to Saturday ’ s reports , Mexican authorities downplayed the possibility that the Placer County man displayed symptoms of the coronavirus while the ship was visiting Mexico .
“ Because of the time of incubation of the virus , it is very improbable that the patient had the virus during his time in Mexican ports , ” Felix Espinoza said .
In a separate case , Mexican authorities late last month allowed passengers and crew from another cruise ship — the MSC Meraviglia — to disembark in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the boat had been turned away from ports in Jamaica and Grand Cayman amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak .
In that case , Mexican health authorities said tests determined that no one on board had contracted the coronavirus .
“ We can not act with discrimination , ” Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters when asked about the case of the MSC Meraviglia .
“ Imagine if a ship arrived and it wasn ’ t even allowed to dock , and they were told , ‘ Keep going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dock.
’ That is inhuman.
” On a recent afternoon in Cabo San Lucas , not a mask was could be seen on tourists and tour operators shouted greetings , shook hands and jostled the arms and shoulders of visitors .
“ We ’ re not worried , ” said Tommy Wright , 67 , of Tulsa , Oklahoma , who noted that he and his wife , Susan , come to Cabo a few times a year to fish and relax .
“ It ’ s a virus .
… Take a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thousands of people every year .
This doesn ’ t even come close.
” The city ’ s health director , Adam Monroy , said the process for investigating and containing viral threats is robust .
“ This is not new , ” he said referring to procedures that date from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus , or swine flu .
“ Our protocols work.
” Any decline in cruise ship visits could have economic implications in Mexico , which is heavily dependent on tourism .
Last year , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Mexican ports , carrying almost 9 million passengers , an increase of 13.5 % compared to the previous year .
Cabo San Lucas hosted 204 cruise ships in 2019 with more than 500,000 passengers .
Fatima Miranda Cortés , director of tourism and economy for Cabo San Lucas , said her team has been working hard to inform people about the virus .
Last week , two residents were tested after displaying symptoms of illness after returning from Japan .
According to state authorities , the results were negative .
Nonetheless , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken a big economic hit as a result of coronavirus concerns .
Cruise ship reservations , she said , have dropped by 20-30 % .
Spring break — between March 1 and March 30 — is generally the busiest time , she said , with roughly 30 cruise ships coming into port during that period .
“ So , things could get worse as the month goes on , ” she said .
Despite the general lack of alarm here about the virus , some visitors have been taking extra precautions .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Naomi Alcazar , 40 , who was visiting from Oxnard .
“ They said there ’ s no coronavirus .
But , we ’ re still putting Clorox on everything .
On the airplane .
Everywhere.
” Her friend , Elva Rizzie , also from Oxnard , however , seemed less than pleased to be talking about it .
“ I don ’ t want to hear it , ” she said .
“ Go away.
” Staff writer Rust reported from Baja California , McDonnell from Mexico City and Chabria @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Mexico City contributed to this report .

Susanne Rust, Patrick J. McDonnell, Anita Chabria

At the docks in Cabo San Lucas, a sign reads: “South Baja California is free of coronavirus and that’s how we want to stay!” Lituania Casena Guerena, 18, works greeting cruise ship visitors, but was only told to start wearing gloves a week ago.
Posters and official fliers in this coastal tourist hot spot seek to allay concerns about the fast-spreading global health menace that has left victims from China to Italy to California.
“Baja California Sur is coronavirus free and that’s how we want to stay!” proclaims one sign.
But even though officials here say Baja has so far avoided the COVID-19 contagion, questions have been raised about whether passengers on the Grand Princess, a cruise ship with several infected crew members and passengers, could have either picked up or spread the coronavirus when it visited Cabo and three other Mexican Pacific ports during a Feb. 11-21 trip from San Francisco.
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On Saturday, a cruise line official reported that one 75-year-old California passenger, who later died of the virus, was infected before boarding the ship on Feb. 11, and was sick several days before the boat returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21.
According to Dr. Grant Tarling, the cruise’s medical officer, the Placer County man didn’t visit the ship’s doctor until Feb. 20, but started exhibiting symptoms as early as Feb. 13. That was before the vessel made its first Mexican port stop, Feb. 16 in Puerto Vallarta. It went on to visit Manzanillo that same day, stopped in Mazatlan on Feb. 17, then anchored in Cabo San Lucas on Feb. 19.
Route of the Grand Princess (Thomas Suh Lauder / Los Angeles Times)
Complicating matters, Placer County health officials have disputed Tarling’s information, saying the diseased man “likely contracted the disease during international travel to Mexico,” which could mean he contracted it on the boat or during a shore visit.
It is not publicly known if he departed the boat at any stops. What is known is that many passengers on the Grand Princess made shore visits at each port, according to persons who were part of the trip.
During its layovers at Mexican ports, “literally hundreds” of people left the ship for shore excursions, said a source on the vessel who asked not to be named for privacy reasons.
“Passengers really penetrate the port towns,” said Ter Soloman, who traveled on the Mexican voyage with his wife. “For example, in Mazatlan, tours take them to the central market, cathedral and historic theater.”
For their part, Mexican authorities have said they have found no indication that anyone who disembarked from the Grand Princess last month spread the virus — or contracted it in Mexico.
Mexico has confirmed a total of six cases of the coronavirus, although none in the state of Baja California Sur. All six cases, Mexican authorities say, are people who recently traveled to Italy, site of a major outbreak.
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All the affected individuals in Mexico have exhibited minor symptoms, health authorities say, and none have been linked to the international cruise ships that frequent the country’s ports.
At the marina in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, a group of visitors returns to the docks after a day on the water. The Grand Princess cruise ship passed through the same port in February. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
Yet as the Grand Princess remains held off the coast of San Francisco, the international inquiry into its current and previous passengers is just getting started. As of Friday, at least 21 people on board, including 2 passengers and 19 crew members, had tested positive, according to federal and state authorities.
After departing Mexico, the cruise ship returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 and then departed for a trip to Hawaii. Tarling, chief medical officer for Princess Cruises, said 70 people remained on board for the Hawaii portion of the cruise.
On Friday, authorities in Hawaii confirmed that the state’s first case of the coronavirus involved a man who had been a passenger on the Grand Princess during its Mexico leg. He fell ill after flying home to Oahu from Mexico, but did not exhibit symptoms of the disease during that flight.
At the marina in Cabo San Lucas, Naomi Alcazar, 40, of Oxnard and Esperanza Barragan, 38, of Ventura are enjoying a vacation, but still worry about the coronavirus. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)
In Mexico, authorities say they have a health protocol in place mandating that cruise lines advise Mexican authorities in advance of any illnesses aboard ships. Passengers and crew members are only allowed to disembark once authorities review ships’ health logs, confirm the information and determine there is no threat to people on shore, Mexican officials say.
No one from the Grand Princess during its Mexico tour “presented symptoms that could have put in danger the population,” Dr. Rafael Félix Espinoza, chief health officer in Mexico’s Sinaloa state, said in a statement.
Among the Grand Princess’ four stops in Mexico was a 10-hour call in Mazatlán, Sinaloa state.
Prior to Saturday’s reports, Mexican authorities downplayed the possibility that the Placer County man displayed symptoms of the coronavirus while the ship was visiting Mexico.
“Because of the time of incubation of the virus, it is very improbable that the patient had the virus during his time in Mexican ports,” Felix Espinoza said.
In a separate case, Mexican authorities late last month allowed passengers and crew from another cruise ship — the MSC Meraviglia — to disembark in Cozumel, on the Caribbean coast, after the boat had been turned away from ports in Jamaica and Grand Cayman amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak. In that case, Mexican health authorities said tests determined that no one on board had contracted the coronavirus.
“We cannot act with discrimination,” Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador told reporters when asked about the case of the MSC Meraviglia. “Imagine if a ship arrived and it wasn’t even allowed to dock, and they were told, ‘Keep going on your way, see where you can dock.’ That is inhuman.”
On a recent afternoon in Cabo San Lucas, not a mask was could be seen on tourists and tour operators shouted greetings, shook hands and jostled the arms and shoulders of visitors.
“We’re not worried,” said Tommy Wright, 67, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who noted that he and his wife, Susan, come to Cabo a few times a year to fish and relax. “It’s a virus. … Take a look at the flu. That kills thousands of people every year. This doesn’t even come close.”
The city’s health director, Adam Monroy, said the process for investigating and containing viral threats is robust.
“This is not new,” he said referring to procedures that date from the 2009 outbreak of the H1N1 virus, or swine flu. “Our protocols work.”
Any decline in cruise ship visits could have economic implications in Mexico, which is heavily dependent on tourism.
Last year, according to official figures, 2,951 cruise ships stopped at Mexican ports, carrying almost 9 million passengers, an increase of 13.5% compared to the previous year. Cabo San Lucas hosted 204 cruise ships in 2019 with more than 500,000 passengers.
Fatima Miranda Cortés, director of tourism and economy for Cabo San Lucas, said her team has been working hard to inform people about the virus.
Last week, two residents were tested after displaying symptoms of illness after returning from Japan. According to state authorities, the results were negative.
Nonetheless, she said, the city has already taken a big economic hit as a result of coronavirus concerns.
Cruise ship reservations, she said, have dropped by 20-30%. Spring break — between March 1 and March 30 — is generally the busiest time, she said, with roughly 30 cruise ships coming into port during that period.
“So, things could get worse as the month goes on,” she said.
Despite the general lack of alarm here about the virus, some visitors have been taking extra precautions.
“We heard it was safe here,” said Naomi Alcazar, 40, who was visiting from Oxnard. “They said there’s no coronavirus. But, we’re still putting Clorox on everything. On the airplane. Everywhere.”
Her friend, Elva Rizzie, also from Oxnard, however, seemed less than pleased to be talking about it.
“I don’t want to hear it,” she said. “Go away.”
Staff writer Rust reported from Baja California, McDonnell from Mexico City and Chabria from Sacramento. Special correspondent Cecilia Sánchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-08--Cruise passengers released from ship in Long Beach after patient gets coronavirus test

After being held back for hours over concerns about an ill patient , passengers on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship docked in Long Beach were finally allowed to exit late Saturday .
Long Beach city officials said on Twitter that a passenger aboard the cruise was taken to a local hospital by the Long Beach Fire Department and is being tested for the coronavirus .
The ship is docked at a Long Beach terminal , but “ in an abundance of caution , [ the CDC ] has decided to hold passengers on board until the patient can be evaluated.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cruise ship , said passengers have been waiting more than three hours to disembark .
Passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the ship ’ s bars and casino , she said .
“ There is a medical matter with a Carnival Panorama guest that caused authorities to suspend debarkation .
The guest in question does not meet CDC criteria for coronavirus risk , but officials still have questions .
Our shoreside medical team is in direct contact with authorities and we hope to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Facebook post by the cruise director .

After being held back for hours over concerns about an ill patient, passengers on the Carnival Panorama cruise ship docked in Long Beach were finally allowed to exit late Saturday.
Long Beach city officials said on Twitter that a passenger aboard the cruise was taken to a local hospital by the Long Beach Fire Department and is being tested for the coronavirus.
The ship is docked at a Long Beach terminal, but “in an abundance of caution, [the CDC] has decided to hold passengers on board until the patient can be evaluated.” Siehara Kennedy, who is aboard the cruise ship, said passengers have been waiting more than three hours to disembark.
Passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the ship’s bars and casino, she said.
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“There is a medical matter with a Carnival Panorama guest that caused authorities to suspend debarkation. The guest in question does not meet CDC criteria for coronavirus risk, but officials still have questions. Our shoreside medical team is in direct contact with authorities and we hope to debark shortly,” according to a Facebook post by the cruise director.


latimes--2020-03-07--Grand Princess passengers still in limbo amid debate over origin of coronavirus outbreak

Thousands of passengers remained on a cruise ship held off the coast of San Francisco on Saturday as officials debated the origins of the coronavirus outbreak that has prevented them from disembarking .
The fate of the Grand Princess has become a significant public health challenge , with a dozen coronavirus cases in California linked to passengers who traveled on the ship to Mexico last month .
They include a Placer County man who died of COVID-19 on Wednesday .
At least 21 of the nearly 3,000 people who subsequently took the same ship to Hawaii have tested positive for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remain on board , and many more still need to be tested .
It ’ s unclear what will happen to those who are found to be sick .
A cruise line medical officer said Saturday that the man who died brought the virus with him when he boarded the Grand Princess — a point public health officials disputed .
Dr. Grant Tarling , the cruise ’ s medical officer , said the man — who died at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center after leaving the ship — sought onboard medical care Feb. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days .
Tarling said two waiters who served the man multiple times were subsequently infected .
If true , it could mean there was so-called community spread of the virus in California earlier than had previously been detected .
Placer County ’ s health officer , however , questioned Tarling ’ s statement and said the passenger probably contracted the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 while on the cruise .
“ Placer County Public Health has been consistent in our message that our first COVID-19-related fatality likely contracted the disease during international travel to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ As is standard public health practice , we have based our assessment on the information learned in our contact investigation as well as what we know to be true about the disease pattern.
” Though Princess Cruises officials indicated the short period between the Placer County man boarding the ship and the onset of his symptoms suggested he brought the virus on board , the incubation period for COVID-19 is still unknown .
The World Health Organization puts it between one and 14 days , most commonly around five days .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Obama administration , agreed the average incubation period was five to six days , with a range between two days and two weeks .
“ We don ’ t yet know when people who have symptoms are infectious , and for how long , ” Frieden said .
Tarling said he was basing his assertion that the Placer County man contracted the virus in California before boarding the ship on the five- to six-day average incubation period .
The 75-year-old Placer County man said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after boarding the Grand Princess , according to Tarling .
Coronavirus cases had been confirmed in California as early as January , tied to travel from China .
President Trump has expressed concern that allowing passengers to leave the ship would put the U.S. at risk of accelerating the coronavirus ’ spread .
Federal and state officials have grappled with how to deal with the cruise ship , where 19 crew members and two passengers have tested positive for the virus .
Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that officials have developed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this weekend .
“ All passengers and crew will be tested for coronavirus and quarantined as appropriate , ” he said in a meeting with cruise line executives and port directors in Fort Lauderdale , Fla. “ Those that require additional medical attention will also receive it.
” But few other details have been released about the plan .
Across the state , 88 people had been infected with the virus as of Saturday morning .
In the U.S. , there have been at least 428 confirmed cases , with most in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ positive and 16 have died .
More than 100,000 people have been infected worldwide , according to the World Health Organization .
In California , it is the Grand Princess cruise ship that has been causing worry of a more widespread outbreak .
By Saturday , the state said a dozen passengers of the Grand Princess cruise that returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 had tested positive for the virus .
Local officials reported four cases in Placer County , two in Contra Costa County , two in Sonoma County and one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Madera and Alameda counties tied to the cruise .
The Placer County man who sailed to Mexico is the state ’ s only confirmed COVID-19 fatality .
The Grand Princess was returning from Hawaii when it was held off the California coast .
With testing still underway , officials don ’ t know how many of the more than 3,000 people on board have the virus .
Friday evening , gloves and masks were delivered to the cruise ship by helicopter , according to Negin Kamali , a spokeswoman for the Princess Cruises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critically ill passenger and their companion were evacuated from the ship by a Coast Guard cutter .
“ They are being transported to a shoreside medical facility for treatment unrelated to COVID-19 , ” Kamali said .
“ The captain of Grand Princess and the Princess Cruises port operations team continue to await specific directives from state and local response operations about where the ship will proceed.
” Pence , who leads the task force in charge of the response , said the federal government is working with the state of California to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ port over the weekend and quarantine those on board as necessary .
Trump said he would ultimately let Pence decide whether to allow passengers to leave the ship .
But he said several times that he would be inclined to leave them on board because bringing them ashore would increase the number of official cases on American soil .
Passengers on the vessel — both current and those who may have been exposed earlier — told the Los Angeles Times that the response to the outbreak by the company and health officials had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , passengers said Princess Cruises was lax on health screening protocols prior to boarding and withheld information about the risks they faced , even as the ship ’ s situation became international news .
At a White House briefing , federal public health officials could not say precisely how many people have been tested for the virus .
They said 5,861 specimens have been taken by federal , state and local public health labs .
Most patients give at least two samples , one from the nose and a second from the throat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Food and Drug Administration , promised a massive expansion of testing availability in the coming days .
The CDC has shipped out 75,000 tests to public labs in 48 states and 1.1 million tests to commercial labs , with another 1 million tests going out Monday .
That ’ s enough for roughly 850,000 patients under the current protocols .
Meanwhile , at the Long Beach harbor Saturday , passengers aboard the Carnival Panorama cruise ship were not allowed off the vessel while officials dealt with a “ medical matter , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise director .
Long Beach city officials said on Twitter that a passenger aboard the ship was taken to a hospital and is being tested for the coronavirus .
According to the cruise director , the passenger did not meet the CDC criteria for coronavirus risk .
The ship is docked at a Long Beach terminal , but “ in an abundance of caution , [ the CDC ] has decided to hold passengers on board until the patient can be evaluated , ” the city of Long Beach account tweeted .
Siehara @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship , said passengers have been waiting more than three hours to get off .
Passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the ship ’ s bars and casino , she said .
Elsewhere in the state , concerns over the coronavirus have led to canceled classes and events .
The Elk Grove Unified School District , the largest in Northern California , announced Saturday it would close schools and cancel all student activities — including a prom — for a week to buy time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chris Hoffman said no students have tested positive for the virus , but some parents and family members have .
“ I don ’ t know where this is going , ” he said in a news conference .
“ I don ’ t know that anybody knows where it ’ s going.
” Washington state , where 108 people have been infected , appears to be bearing the brunt of the U.S. outbreak .
Fourteen of the state ’ s 16 deaths are connected to the Life Care Center of Kirkland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Seattle & King County Public Health .
Officials said 15 people in the nursing facility have been hospitalized in the last 24 hours .
In New York , Gov .
Andrew M. Cuomo declared a state of emergency Saturday after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state rose to 76 .
Times staff writers Richard Winton , Soumya Karlamangla , Taryn Luna and Richard Read contributed to this report .

Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Anita Chabria, Melody Gutierrez, Noah Bierman

The California Air National Guard delivered coronavirus test kits to the Grand Princess cruise ship by helicopter off the coast of California on Thursday.
Thousands of passengers remained on a cruise ship held off the coast of San Francisco on Saturday as officials debated the origins of the coronavirus outbreak that has prevented them from disembarking.
The fate of the Grand Princess has become a significant public health challenge, with a dozen coronavirus cases in California linked to passengers who traveled on the ship to Mexico last month. They include a Placer County man who died of COVID-19 on Wednesday.
At least 21 of the nearly 3,000 people who subsequently took the same ship to Hawaii have tested positive for the virus. All of those passengers remain on board, and many more still need to be tested. It’s unclear what will happen to those who are found to be sick.
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A cruise line medical officer said Saturday that the man who died brought the virus with him when he boarded the Grand Princess — a point public health officials disputed.
Dr. Grant Tarling, the cruise’s medical officer, said the man — who died at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center after leaving the ship — sought onboard medical care Feb. 20 and had been sick for several days. Tarling said two waiters who served the man multiple times were subsequently infected.
If true, it could mean there was so-called community spread of the virus in California earlier than had previously been detected.
Placer County’s health officer, however, questioned Tarling’s statement and said the passenger probably contracted the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 while on the cruise.
“Placer County Public Health has been consistent in our message that our first COVID-19-related fatality likely contracted the disease during international travel to Mexico,” Dr. Aimee Sisson said. “As is standard public health practice, we have based our assessment on the information learned in our contact investigation as well as what we know to be true about the disease pattern.”
Though Princess Cruises officials indicated the short period between the Placer County man boarding the ship and the onset of his symptoms suggested he brought the virus on board, the incubation period for COVID-19 is still unknown. The World Health Organization puts it between one and 14 days, most commonly around five days.
Dr. Thomas Frieden, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during the Obama administration, agreed the average incubation period was five to six days, with a range between two days and two weeks.
“We don’t yet know when people who have symptoms are infectious, and for how long,” Frieden said.
Tarling said he was basing his assertion that the Placer County man contracted the virus in California before boarding the ship on the five- to six-day average incubation period.
The 75-year-old Placer County man said his symptoms began two to three days after boarding the Grand Princess, according to Tarling.
Coronavirus cases had been confirmed in California as early as January, tied to travel from China.
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President Trump has expressed concern that allowing passengers to leave the ship would put the U.S. at risk of accelerating the coronavirus’ spread. Federal and state officials have grappled with how to deal with the cruise ship, where 19 crew members and two passengers have tested positive for the virus.
Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that officials have developed a plan for passengers that will be implemented this weekend.
“All passengers and crew will be tested for coronavirus and quarantined as appropriate,” he said in a meeting with cruise line executives and port directors in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “Those that require additional medical attention will also receive it.”
World & Nation Seattle-area nursing home deaths jump to 13 with COVID-19 and 11 of unknown causes A spokesman for Life Care Center of Kirkland said Saturday that 13 residents who have died tested positive for COVID-19. Eleven more residents died, he said, but autopsy results are not yet available to determine whether they had coronavirus.
But few other details have been released about the plan.
Across the state, 88 people had been infected with the virus as of Saturday morning. In the U.S., there have been at least 428 confirmed cases, with most in Washington state, where 108 people have tested positive and 16 have died. More than 100,000 people have been infected worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
In California, it is the Grand Princess cruise ship that has been causing worry of a more widespread outbreak.
By Saturday, the state said a dozen passengers of the Grand Princess cruise that returned to San Francisco on Feb. 21 had tested positive for the virus. Local officials reported four cases in Placer County, two in Contra Costa County, two in Sonoma County and one each in Santa Cruz, Ventura, Madera and Alameda counties tied to the cruise.
The Placer County man who sailed to Mexico is the state’s only confirmed COVID-19 fatality.
The Grand Princess was returning from Hawaii when it was held off the California coast. With testing still underway, officials don’t know how many of the more than 3,000 people on board have the virus.
Friday evening, gloves and masks were delivered to the cruise ship by helicopter, according to Negin Kamali, a spokeswoman for the Princess Cruises company. On Saturday morning, a critically ill passenger and their companion were evacuated from the ship by a Coast Guard cutter.
“They are being transported to a shoreside medical facility for treatment unrelated to COVID-19,” Kamali said. “The captain of Grand Princess and the Princess Cruises port operations team continue to await specific directives from state and local response operations about where the ship will proceed.”
Pence, who leads the task force in charge of the response, said the federal government is working with the state of California to bring the cruise ship into a noncommercial port over the weekend and quarantine those on board as necessary.
Trump said he would ultimately let Pence decide whether to allow passengers to leave the ship. But he said several times that he would be inclined to leave them on board because bringing them ashore would increase the number of official cases on American soil.
Passengers on the vessel — both current and those who may have been exposed earlier — told the Los Angeles Times that the response to the outbreak by the company and health officials had been filled with missteps.
In particular, passengers said Princess Cruises was lax on health screening protocols prior to boarding and withheld information about the risks they faced, even as the ship’s situation became international news.
At a White House briefing, federal public health officials could not say precisely how many people have been tested for the virus.
They said 5,861 specimens have been taken by federal, state and local public health labs. Most patients give at least two samples, one from the nose and a second from the throat.
Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, promised a massive expansion of testing availability in the coming days. The CDC has shipped out 75,000 tests to public labs in 48 states and 1.1 million tests to commercial labs, with another 1 million tests going out Monday.
That’s enough for roughly 850,000 patients under the current protocols.
Meanwhile, at the Long Beach harbor Saturday, passengers aboard the Carnival Panorama cruise ship were not allowed off the vessel while officials dealt with a “medical matter,” according to a Facebook post by the cruise director.
Long Beach city officials said on Twitter that a passenger aboard the ship was taken to a hospital and is being tested for the coronavirus. According to the cruise director, the passenger did not meet the CDC criteria for coronavirus risk.
The ship is docked at a Long Beach terminal, but “in an abundance of caution, [the CDC] has decided to hold passengers on board until the patient can be evaluated,” the city of Long Beach account tweeted.
Siehara Kennedy, who is aboard the cruise ship, said passengers have been waiting more than three hours to get off. Passengers are not being isolated in their rooms and have been allowed to gather in the ship’s bars and casino, she said.
Elsewhere in the state, concerns over the coronavirus have led to canceled classes and events. The Elk Grove Unified School District, the largest in Northern California, announced Saturday it would close schools and cancel all student activities — including a prom — for a week to buy time and decide next steps.
Supt. Chris Hoffman said no students have tested positive for the virus, but some parents and family members have.
“I don’t know where this is going,” he said in a news conference. “I don’t know that anybody knows where it’s going.”
Washington state, where 108 people have been infected, appears to be bearing the brunt of the U.S. outbreak. Fourteen of the state’s 16 deaths are connected to the Life Care Center of Kirkland, a long-term care facility, according to Seattle & King County Public Health. Officials said 15 people in the nursing facility have been hospitalized in the last 24 hours.
In New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo declared a state of emergency Saturday after the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state rose to 76.
Times staff writers Richard Winton, Soumya Karlamangla, Taryn Luna and Richard Read contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-08--Torrance police kill woman during domestic violence call

Police shot and killed a woman in Torrance on Sunday while responding to reports of a domestic violence incident , @ @ @ @ @ occurred at 10:30 a.m. in a home near West 182nd Street and Yukon Avenue .
@ @ @ @ @ woman was wielding a knife and breaking items inside the residence , according to Sgt @ @ @ @ @ Torrance Police Department .
The woman was shot and killed shortly after police arrived , @ @ @ @ @ taken to a hospital , where she was soon pronounced dead .
Details on what @ @ @ @ @ not yet available .
No one else was hurt .
Detectives are interviewing others who @ @ @ @ @ home at the time of the shooting .
It is unclear whether the woman lived @ @ @ @

Police shot and killed a woman in Torrance on Sunday while responding to reports of a domestic violence incident, authorities said.
The shooting occurred at 10:30 a.m. in a home near West 182nd Street and Yukon Avenue. Police received reports that a woman was wielding a knife and breaking items inside the residence, according to Sgt. Alexander Martinez of the Torrance Police Department.
The woman was shot and killed shortly after police arrived, Martinez said. She was taken to a hospital, where she was soon pronounced dead.
Details on what led to the shooting were not yet available. No one else was hurt.
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Detectives are interviewing others who may have been in the home at the time of the shooting. It is unclear whether the woman lived at the residence.


latimes--2020-03-08--California Grand Princess passengers face coronavirus quarantine at Travis, Miramar military bases

Gavin Newsom said Sunday it could take three days or longer to get passengers off the Grand Princess , which will dock Monday at the commercial port of Oakland to disembark all passengers and those who need medical attention , including 19 infected crew members .
Many Californians on board will eventually be sent to two California military bases .
The governor expected the operation to take up to three days , but stressed that the situation was “ fluid ” and could take longer , in part because the port does not regularly deal with cruise ships and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for it to enter the port , based on tides and currents .
After medical cases , California residents would be prioritized for disembarkation , and be taken to Travis Air Force base in nearby Solano County to begin a 14-day quarantine .
It is the same base where passengers from the Diamond Princess were recently held after that ship had an outbreak of the virus , and where there has been suspected community spread of COVID-19 .
The remainder of American passengers will be sent to military bases in Texas and Georgia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their home countries via charter flights from Oakland International Airport .
Newsom stressed those cruise passengers traveling by air would have no contact with regular travelers .
About 1,000 Californians are expected to go to Travis , with the remainder going to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego .
Newsom said 12 positive cases of COVID-19 had been identified in passengers on the previous cruise , which went from San Francisco to Mexico , and included a Placer County man who later died of the virus .
The cruise line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether the man contracted the illness on board or was infected prior to the journey .
Newsom also said that health officials are currently monitoring 1,540 passengers on the previous Grand Princess cruise to Mexico .
Crew will be quarantined on board , with the ship leaving the Oakland port .
The majority of crew are foreign nationals , and Newsom said that many are younger , a demographic with less risk from COVID-19 .
Newsom also had harsh words for the cruise industry , saying stricter protocols were needed .
He added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ couldn ’ t continue to handle large-scale quarantines from ships .
“ We simply , as a state , can not experience this kind of operation at the scale that is likely , ” if cruise ships don ’ t take more precautions , Newsom said .
Newsom said the number of Californians testing positive jumped from 88 Saturday to 114 Sunday , but he stressed that the number was expected to rise as testing became more widely available .
California has testing kits for 8,000 individuals and a private lab — Quest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to process 2,000 tests each day beginning Monday , if needed .
There are also 15 public labs processing tests , including a facility in Richmond , where tests for the Grand Princess passengers were conducted .
Newsom said California has so far tested about 788 people for the virus , but he expected that to increase dramatically in coming days with the new capacity .
California Health and Human Services head Mark Ghaly said the state has requested an additional 12,000 testing kits from the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coming days .

A National Guard helicopter hovers over the Grand Princess cruise ship off the coast of California on Thursday.
Gavin Newsom said Sunday it could take three days or longer to get passengers off the Grand Princess, which will dock Monday at the commercial port of Oakland to disembark all passengers and those who need medical attention, including 19 infected crew members.
Many Californians on board will eventually be sent to two California military bases.
The governor expected the operation to take up to three days, but stressed that the situation was “fluid” and could take longer, in part because the port does not regularly deal with cruise ships and there would only be small windows of opportunity for it to enter the port, based on tides and currents.
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After medical cases, California residents would be prioritized for disembarkation, and be taken to Travis Air Force base in nearby Solano County to begin a 14-day quarantine.
It is the same base where passengers from the Diamond Princess were recently held after that ship had an outbreak of the virus, and where there has been suspected community spread of COVID-19.
The remainder of American passengers will be sent to military bases in Texas and Georgia, while foreign passengers will be sent to their home countries via charter flights from Oakland International Airport. Newsom stressed those cruise passengers traveling by air would have no contact with regular travelers.
About 1,000 Californians are expected to go to Travis, with the remainder going to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
Route of the Grand Princess (Thomas Suh Lauder / Los Angeles Times)
Newsom said 12 positive cases of COVID-19 had been identified in passengers on the previous cruise, which went from San Francisco to Mexico, and included a Placer County man who later died of the virus. The cruise line and California health officials have disagreed on whether the man contracted the illness on board or was infected prior to the journey.
Newsom also said that health officials are currently monitoring 1,540 passengers on the previous Grand Princess cruise to Mexico.
Crew will be quarantined on board, with the ship leaving the Oakland port. The majority of crew are foreign nationals, and Newsom said that many are younger, a demographic with less risk from COVID-19.
Newsom also had harsh words for the cruise industry, saying stricter protocols were needed. He added that California had heavy cruise-ship traffic and couldn’t continue to handle large-scale quarantines from ships.
“We simply, as a state, cannot experience this kind of operation at the scale that is likely,” if cruise ships don’t take more precautions, Newsom said.
Newsom said the number of Californians testing positive jumped from 88 Saturday to 114 Sunday, but he stressed that the number was expected to rise as testing became more widely available. California has testing kits for 8,000 individuals and a private lab — Quest Diagnostics in San Juan Capistrano — will be able to process 2,000 tests each day beginning Monday, if needed.
There are also 15 public labs processing tests, including a facility in Richmond, where tests for the Grand Princess passengers were conducted. Newsom said California has so far tested about 788 people for the virus, but he expected that to increase dramatically in coming days with the new capacity.
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California Health and Human Services head Mark Ghaly said the state has requested an additional 12,000 testing kits from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and expects to receive those in coming days.


latimes--2020-03-08--Riverside County declares coronavirus emergency amid Coachella questions

Amid questions over the fate of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival , Riverside County declared a public health emergency after confirming its first case of the coronavirus .
Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said no decisions have been made yet about the fate of Coachella and other public events .
He said officials are still trying to assess the movements of the patient and whether others were exposed to the virus .
Kaiser said he will assess the safety of public events on a case-by-case basis .
Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage reported early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presumptive case of coronavirus .
The patient was tested by the Riverside County Public Health Department , according to the hospital .
No further details were provided .
RELATED : Amid growing coronavirus concerns , locals are torn over Coachella festival coming to their town The hospital said the patient was in isolation and that hospital staff was taking appropriate precautions .
Riverside joins many other counties including Los Angeles and Orange counties in declaring a health emergency .
Murrieta school officials said 71 students have been placed in self-quarantine after a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The employee had where the coronavirus was spreading , according to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District , which said Murrieta Valley High School would be closed Monday and cleaned .
There have been questions about the massive Coachella music festival , set for April 10-19 , and its country cousin , Stagecoach , set for April 24-26 , in Indio .
Residents and businesses expressed mixed emotions about canceling the events .
The move comes as health officials warned that the country has entered a new stage in dealing with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no longer possible .
“ We ’ re past the point of containment , ” Dr. Scott Gottlieb , commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration during the first two years of President Trump ’ s administration , said on CBS ’ “ Face the Nation.
” “ We have to implement broad mitigation strategies .
The next two weeks are really going to change the complexion in this country .
We ’ ll get through this , but it ’ s going to be a hard period .
We ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of difficulty , ” Gottlieb said .

Andrew J. Campa, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Alex Wigglesworth

La Grande Wheel during weekend two of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif., on April 23, 2016.
Amid questions over the fate of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, Riverside County declared a public health emergency after confirming its first case of the coronavirus.
Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said no decisions have been made yet about the fate of Coachella and other public events. He said officials are still trying to assess the movements of the patient and whether others were exposed to the virus.
Kaiser said he will assess the safety of public events on a case-by-case basis.
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Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage reported early Sunday it was treating a patient for a presumptive case of coronavirus.
The patient was tested by the Riverside County Public Health Department, according to the hospital. No further details were provided.
RELATED: Amid growing coronavirus concerns, locals are torn over Coachella festival coming to their town
The hospital said the patient was in isolation and that hospital staff was taking appropriate precautions.
Riverside joins many other counties including Los Angeles and Orange counties in declaring a health emergency.
Murrieta school officials said 71 students have been placed in self-quarantine after a school employee was tested for the coronavirus.
The employee had recently been to a country where the coronavirus was spreading, according to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, which said Murrieta Valley High School would be closed Monday and cleaned.
There have been questions about the massive Coachella music festival, set for April 10-19, and its country cousin, Stagecoach, set for April 24-26, in Indio.
Residents and businesses expressed mixed emotions about canceling the events.
The move comes as health officials warned that the country has entered a new stage in dealing with the deadly coronavirus — one in which containment is no longer possible.
“We’re past the point of containment,” Dr. Scott Gottlieb, commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration during the first two years of President Trump’s administration, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
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“We have to implement broad mitigation strategies. The next two weeks are really going to change the complexion in this country. We’ll get through this, but it’s going to be a hard period. We’re looking at two months, probably, of difficulty,” Gottlieb said.


latimes--2020-03-08--L.A. Marathon goes on despite coronavirus fears: Masks, sanitizer and humor amid the water bottles

The spread of the new coronavirus has sparked anxiety , panic buying and preventive measures .
But for participants in the 35th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday , it was mostly a punchline .
“ Run like someone with the coronavirus is behind you !
” Runner after runner laughed as Jessica Schroeter waved a sign with that message just past Mile 12 , at Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue .
Schroeter had left San Juan Capistrano at 4 a.m. to cheer on her husband , Eric , who was running his first marathon .
He ran with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ competing in her second marathon .
Schroeter knew this was the point in the race when runners got tired — that long , flat stretch when it hits you that there are still 14 miles to go , when a bit of humor might give them a boost .
“ Right now , with coronavirus , you ’ re either taking it super serious and buying all the toilet paper at Costco , or you ’ re laughing it off , ” she said .
“ It ’ s definitely not something to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to lock yourself up in the house over this.
” There was no doubt she was going to show up to cheer .
With her younger son and the children ’ s grandparents in tow , the only time the coronavirus seriously crossed their minds was when they dropped off their runners at Dodger Stadium early Sunday and saw so many people squeezed together at the start line .
There are now 14 cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County , none of them contracted by the virus spreading within the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northern California and other states , officials said they didn ’ t see enough of a public health threat to cancel the marathon .
One L.A. City Council member on Friday questioned the decision to run the race .
“ This is a big popular event , but I remain concerned & don ’ t think it ’ s worth the risk , ” Councilman Mike Bonin wrote on Twitter .
Instead , health officials recommended that sick spectators stay home and that those who attended stay six feet away from others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Runners were advised to wash their hands before the race and not to shake hands with other participants or the public .
Hand sanitizer was also available for runners along the course .
“ I think the public has been pretty educated on what to do — wash your hands ; stay home if you ’ re sick , ” said Lenore Schroeter , who was not about to miss seeing her granddaughter run a marathon .
“ We believe in the power of prayer , and we have lots of people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there today.
” Look , she said : The rain stayed home and the city is once again united on a day meant to celebrate strength .
Puffy clouds and crisp , spring-like air made for a great day to run .
As Catherine Borek saw it , the marathon was too important to Los Angeles to stay home , knowing she could take basic precautions to avoid infection .
“ I ’ m not going to lick people ’ s hands , ” she said , “ but I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Borek , who teaches English and drama at Dominguez High School in Compton , has run this route three times , but she came Sunday as a spectator , cheering runners near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vermont Avenue , around the eight-mile mark .
She remembers it as a “ brutal point ” where the fatigue has set in and the remaining mileage can seem insurmountable .
Cheering from the crowd , and music — drums , especially — are crucial , she said .
Nearby , a school choir @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reggaeton .
A police officer sat in his cruiser , warning on the car ’ s loudspeaker that he ’ d be issuing “ walking violations ” to any offending marathoners .
“ No walking , ” he announced .
“ If you walk , you will be ticketed.
” “ This is too brilliant , ” Borek said of the entire scene , too great to stay home out of fear of a virus .
“ Our strength is in our calm .
Our anxiety is more dangerous .
The stress is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , gesturing to the runners streaming by , “ this is about the healthiest swath of people you can find in Los Angeles.
” Some marathon supporters took extra precautions when giving out high-fives to runners streaming by .
Joey Ta of the Midnight Runners , a weekly running club that works out in Venice Beach , sanitized his hands after high-fiving one of the club ’ s marathon participants as he ran past Mile 20 .
“ Last I checked , he doesn ’ t have the coronavirus , ” Ta joked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his group to sanitize their hands after any high-fives .
It was important , he said , “ to make sure our group is safe.
” At about 9 a.m. , several dozen people waited on the corner of Sepulveda and Santa Monica boulevards to cheer on two runners who had flown in from Japan .
Nancy Perdomo , 56 , who runs the Culver City Sister City Committee , a nonprofit that focuses on building friendships and cultural understanding with other countries , had worried at first that their delegation from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Osaka prefecture , would not be able to travel because of the coronavirus outbreak .
“ Our concern was the trip here — being on the plane , ” she said .
But in the end , the runners made it to Los Angeles in good shape .
As 25-year-old Koichi Murakami ran past Mile 20 with a wide smile , the group rang bells and waved a large banner with the words “ Riding the wave to victory ” in Japanese .
Frank Luna , shaking a cowbell just shy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , assessed his risk of infection by the number of cases so far .
“ I get it ; it ’ s out there , ” he said .
“ But we ’ ve had , what , one person die in California ?
I think I have a better chance of winning the lotto multiple times than getting it , and it ’ s pretty damn hard to win the lotto .
”

Rosanna Xia, Leila Miller, Matthew Ormseth

The spread of the new coronavirus has sparked anxiety, panic buying and preventive measures.
But for participants in the 35th Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday, it was mostly a punchline.
“Run like someone with the coronavirus is behind you!”
Runner after runner laughed as Jessica Schroeter waved a sign with that message just past Mile 12, at Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue.
Advertisement
Schroeter had left San Juan Capistrano at 4 a.m. to cheer on her husband, Eric, who was running his first marathon. He ran with their 13-year-old daughter, Kelly, who was competing in her second marathon.
Schroeter knew this was the point in the race when runners got tired — that long, flat stretch when it hits you that there are still 14 miles to go, when a bit of humor might give them a boost.
Why smart runners will be thinking about elevation at the L.A. Marathon Here is a breakdown of some of the Los Angeles Marathon’s ups and downs, essential reading for both first-time marathoners, aspiring record-breakers and vicarious runners.
“Right now, with coronavirus, you’re either taking it super serious and buying all the toilet paper at Costco, or you’re laughing it off,” she said. “It’s definitely not something to ignore, but you don’t need to lock yourself up in the house over this.”
There was no doubt she was going to show up to cheer. With her younger son and the children’s grandparents in tow, the only time the coronavirus seriously crossed their minds was when they dropped off their runners at Dodger Stadium early Sunday and saw so many people squeezed together at the start line.
There are now 14 cases of COVID-19 in Los Angeles County, none of them contracted by the virus spreading within the region.
Despite the cancellation of large events in Northern California and other states, officials said they didn’t see enough of a public health threat to cancel the marathon.
Advertisement
One L.A. City Council member on Friday questioned the decision to run the race. “This is a big popular event, but I remain concerned & don’t think it’s worth the risk,” Councilman Mike Bonin wrote on Twitter.
Instead, health officials recommended that sick spectators stay home and that those who attended stay six feet away from others who weren’t family or friends.
Runners were advised to wash their hands before the race and not to shake hands with other participants or the public. Hand sanitizer was also available for runners along the course.
“I think the public has been pretty educated on what to do — wash your hands; stay home if you’re sick,” said Lenore Schroeter, who was not about to miss seeing her granddaughter run a marathon. “We believe in the power of prayer, and we have lots of people praying for this marathon and every runner out there today.”
Look, she said: The rain stayed home and the city is once again united on a day meant to celebrate strength.
“God made it a beautiful day.”
Puffy clouds and crisp, spring-like air made for a great day to run.
As Catherine Borek saw it, the marathon was too important to Los Angeles to stay home, knowing she could take basic precautions to avoid infection.
“I’m not going to lick people’s hands,” she said, “but I’m also not going to not show up.”
Borek, who teaches English and drama at Dominguez High School in Compton, has run this route three times, but she came Sunday as a spectator, cheering runners near the intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vermont Avenue, around the eight-mile mark. She remembers it as a “brutal point” where the fatigue has set in and the remaining mileage can seem insurmountable.
Cheering from the crowd, and music — drums, especially — are crucial, she said. Nearby, a school choir belted rock tunes and a deejay blasted reggaeton. A police officer sat in his cruiser, warning on the car’s loudspeaker that he’d be issuing “walking violations” to any offending marathoners. “No walking,” he announced. “If you walk, you will be ticketed.”
“This is too brilliant,” Borek said of the entire scene, too great to stay home out of fear of a virus. “Our strength is in our calm. Our anxiety is more dangerous. The stress is more dangerous.”
Besides, she added, gesturing to the runners streaming by, “this is about the healthiest swath of people you can find in Los Angeles.”
Some marathon supporters took extra precautions when giving out high-fives to runners streaming by.
Joey Ta of the Midnight Runners, a weekly running club that works out in Venice Beach, sanitized his hands after high-fiving one of the club’s marathon participants as he ran past Mile 20.
“Last I checked, he doesn’t have the coronavirus,” Ta joked.
Still, Ta had asked members of his group to sanitize their hands after any high-fives. It was important, he said, “to make sure our group is safe.”
At about 9 a.m., several dozen people waited on the corner of Sepulveda and Santa Monica boulevards to cheer on two runners who had flown in from Japan.
Nancy Perdomo, 56, who runs the Culver City Sister City Committee, a nonprofit that focuses on building friendships and cultural understanding with other countries, had worried at first that their delegation from the city of Kaizuka, in Japan’s Osaka prefecture, would not be able to travel because of the coronavirus outbreak.
“Our concern was the trip here — being on the plane,” she said.
But in the end, the runners made it to Los Angeles in good shape. As 25-year-old Koichi Murakami ran past Mile 20 with a wide smile, the group rang bells and waved a large banner with the words “Riding the wave to victory” in Japanese.
Frank Luna, shaking a cowbell just shy of the nine-mile mark in Los Feliz, assessed his risk of infection by the number of cases so far.
“I get it; it’s out there,” he said. “But we’ve had, what, one person die in California? I think I have a better chance of winning the lotto multiple times than getting it, and it’s pretty damn hard to win the lotto.”