latimes--2020-03-10--Coronavirus cases spread across California as events canceled, warnings become more urgent

As the coronavirus continues to spread deeper into California communities — with multiple cases reported from Sacramento to San Diego and a second death , in Silicon Valley — officials say they are expecting the state ’ s total cases to rise well beyond the current 157 as more testing is done in the coming days .
The state ’ s latest count does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland .
On Monday , Los Angeles County reported the first instance of the virus spreading in the community .
A new case was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20th — by health officials who said a traveler returning from Iran tested positive after flying into Los Angeles International Airport .
The individual is currently isolated at home .
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management also reported one new case Tuesday , bringing the county ’ s total to 14 .
The patient , who had known contact with another person who tested positive , is hospitalized , officials said .
Orange County also reported two new cases of the virus , pending confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ total to five .
Officials confirmed a new coronavirus case in Alameda County – an older individual who left the Grand Princess cruise ship in February .
There are now at least four cases of coronavirus in Alameda County , including one individual in Berkeley , which has a separate health officer .
The new case is under isolation at home .
San Joaquin County Public Health Services confirmed its first case of the coronavirus .
The individual was a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise ship , but was not on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The individual has been symptomatic and was hospitalized several days ago .
Meanwhile , in Washington state , Seattle and King County health officials reported two more deaths , bringing the total deaths linked to the virus in the state to 22 .
The individuals were not residents of the Life Care Center of Kirkland , a nursing home where 19 patients have died .
Both individuals had previously tested positive .
Beyond health concerns , the effects of the virus have stirred ongoing financial fears that have affected U.S. markets and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day after a global meltdown , stocks and oil markets appeared to stabilize after U.S. and international governments vowed to push more aid into a coronavirus-weakened global economy .
Los Angeles County health officials and local organizers are trying to curtail massive public events , in keeping with new guidance from California health officials .
Dr. Barbara Ferrer , L.A. County public health director , advised the public to take extra precautions as the number of cases continued to rise .
“ It ’ s time to start thinking about limiting activities anywhere @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the general public , ” she said Tuesday , stressing the fact that pregnant women , elderly individuals and those with underlying health conditions are most at risk for developing serious effects from the virus .
Ferrer says that , starting Wednesday , teams of officials will visit all nursing homes and long-term-care facilities in Los Angeles County — roughly 300 — to ensure they are adequately prepared to enforce infectious-disease protocols and assist with any preventive measures against coronavirus .
Teams include￼￼ health inspectors with the Department of Public Health .
Teams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ L.A. County , she said .
In dealing with the unsheltered population , the department has a three-pronged strategy : Ensure that shelters take precautions to separate the sick from the healthy￼￼ ; ensure that people on the street have the proper information needed to stay healthy ; identify places where sick individuals may be quarantined .
Officials are looking at sites that will allow them to isolate homeless individuals who may have COVID-19 from others inside shelters￼ .
San Francisco also is working to develop quarantine locations for people who have tested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in contact with an individual with known exposure , and are either homeless or living in shared quarters .
Contra Costa County joined other Bay Area counties Tuesday in urging residents to avoid crowds .
Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna , deputy health officer , said he recommended “ all large community events be postponed or canceled.
” In particular , he said , people at higher risk — those 50 or older and people with underlying medical problems like heart and lung disease , diabetes , cancer or weak immune systems — should not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services , celebrations , concerts , sporting events or parades .
Radhakrishna also said employers should suspend nonessential travel , including canceling conferences ; consider allowing employees to telecommute ; try to stagger schedules to reduce the number of workers in the office at the same time ; and not require doctor ’ s notes for employees who are feeling ill. Santa Clara County issued a banning mass gatherings of 1,000 or more people , effective Wednesday through the rest of March .
Santa Clara County , which reported two new coronavirus cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death .
The county has California ’ s largest number of confirmed infections .
After declining an earlier recommendation to halt mass gatherings late last week , the San Jose Sharks said by the county ’ s new order at SAP Center in downtown San Jose , which is enforceable by the county sheriff and city police .
“ We are clearly facing a historic public health challenge , ” Santa Clara County ’ s health officer , Dr. Sara Cody , said at a Monday night .
“ The number and type @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk of exposure to this virus in our community is increasing.
” Amid the closures , Rancho Mirage announced it was shuttering its library and observatory until March 23 , and the Los Angeles Times postponed its annual Festival of Books and Food Bowl .
Times staffers also have been given the option to work from home and have been instructed to avoid the workplace for 14 days following any air travel .
But not all gathering places are shutting down .
Universal Studios and Disneyland Resort are not closing but are monitoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health officials , park officials said .
Hand-sanitizing stations have been placed throughout Disneyland , and employees have been instructed to stay home when sick .
For passengers aboard the Grand Princess , Monday brought relief as the cruise ship reached the Port of Oakland , providing the comfort of land , although no clear answers about their individual futures .
After days of being forced to idle off Northern California , the ship docked with about 3,500 passengers and crew , including at least 21 who had tested positive for the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to stay calm , and we ’ re trying to stay positive , but it ’ s getting harder and harder .
They can ’ t make up their minds how to keep us safe , ” said passenger Beryl Ward , 77 , of Santa Fe , N.M. Late in the afternoon , after hours of waiting , a handful of passengers wearing masks headed toward tan medical tents that had been erected earlier .
State officials said Sunday the 3,000 travelers stuck in limbo since Wednesday would be screened for symptoms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment , if necessary , or would board waiting tour buses headed for military bases for a 14-day quarantine .
The operation represented a controversial and high-risk move for federal , state and local officials .
They had spent days debating the trade-offs of keeping passengers on board or allowing them to disembark — though more than 1,000 crew members , mostly foreign nationals , will remain quarantined on board .
Passengers wearing masks trickled out of the Grand Princess and walked to the bottom of a ramp , where masked officials in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took their temperature and led them to a tent for more screening before they lined up to board a bus .
By Tuesday afternoon , more than 540 people had been offloaded from the ship .
Roughly 228 Canadians were sent back to Canada and 171 Californians taken to Travis Air Force Base .
At least 26 individuals were sick and were being treated for the coronavirus or some other illness , officials said .
Thousands more were still waiting Tuesday to be released .
Authorities said foreigners from more than 50 countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers would be flown or bused to military bases in California , Texas and Georgia .
Elsewhere , cruise ship agencies have canceled upcoming stops in Monterey Bay after the city asked companies to alter their impending trips , city officials said .
The Royal Princess has canceled its March 31 , April 14 and April 28 visits to Monterey , and the Maasdam–Holland America cruise ship has canceled its April 29 visit .
“ The city of Monterey has an obligation to ensure the public health of our residents , employees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship companies taking action on behalf of our request , ” City Manager Hans Uslar said in a statement .
The city of Santa Barbara also announced the cancellation of a Grand Princess cruise scheduled to visit the area March 24 .
City officials said they also plan to contact other cruise lines to cancel upcoming visits to Santa Barbara until the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention removes its travel advisory for cruise ships .
There are 10 cruise stops planned for Santa Barbara through June .
“ I appreciate Princess @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the community and passengers .
We are asking other cruise lines to follow their lead and take a cautious approach , ” Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo said .
As of Tuesday afternoon , there were more than 118,000 total virus cases worldwide , and more than 4,200 total deaths .
Nationwide , more than 800 people were confirmed to be infected with the virus .
Authorities said the second California fatality was a woman in Santa Clara County , which has seen the most cases of any county in California , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was in her 60s and had been hospitalized for several weeks .
Across the state , public schools and universities have closed or moved classes online , large gatherings have been canceled , and public officials are urging “ social distancing ” — reducing chances of contact with an infected person — to mitigate the growing outbreak .
UC Santa Cruz , UC Berkeley , UC San Diego , San Jose State , San Francisco State , Santa Clara , Princeton and Vanderbilt universities became the latest institutions to announce they would suspend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 25 universities in the U.S. , the Mideast , Asia and Italy have announced moves to online learning .
In Long Beach , three people are believed to have contracted the coronavirus after preliminary testing , officials announced Monday afternoon .
Riverside University Health System-Public Health also announced three new cases in Coachella Valley .
The individuals are believed to have traveled to an area with a known outbreak , or had contact with a known case , Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said .
Two of the individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ third is at a Coachella Valley hospital .
The county also confirmed its second case from the Diamond Princess cruise ship , bringing the number of COVID-19 cases in the county at least six .
The nation ’ s capital also took a hit as six lawmakers , in rapid succession , announced their self-quarantine following exposure to someone with the virus .
Several lawmakers were exposed to a single person with coronavirus at a conservative political conference late last month and U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley ( D-Westlake Village ) met in Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
All of them said they would self-quarantine even though they felt fine .
Brownley shuttered her Washington office for the week .
She and her staff would work from home , she said .
Times staff writers Richard Read , Jaclyn Cosgrove , Sarah Parvini and Thomas Curwen contributed to this report .

Anita Chabria, Colleen Shalby, Maura Dolan, John Myers, Rong-Gong Lin II

As the coronavirus continues to spread deeper into California communities — with multiple cases reported from Sacramento to San Diego and a third confirmed death — officials say they are expecting the state’s total cases to rise well beyond the current 157 as more testing is done in the coming days.
The state’s latest count does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland.
On Tuesday, Sacramento County health officials announced that a patient in her 90s at an Elk Grove nursing home had died from COVID-19. The woman is the third confirmed death from COVID-19 in California, and she is the state’s first known case of infection with the coronavirus in a nursing home. Health officials said all patients in the nursing home would be tested for the virus, but that effort was delayed by a lack of test kits.
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Other residents of the facility are receiving special protective measures, including having meals delivered to rooms and being barred from gatherings.
Elsewhere, the number of cases continues to rise.
On Tuesday evening, the Transportation Security Administration confirmed that three of its officers who work at Mineta San Jose International Airport tested positive for COVID-19.
“The officers are receiving medical care and all TSA employees they have come in contact with over the past 14 days are quarantined at home,” the agency said in a statement. “Screening checkpoints remain open, and the agency is working with the CDC, as well as the California Department of Public Health and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department to monitor the situation as well as the health and safety of our employees and the traveling public. We will update as more information becomes available.”
Los Angeles County reported the first instance of the virus spreading in the community on Monday. A new case was reported Tuesday — the county’s 20th — by health officials who said a traveler returning from Iran tested positive after flying into Los Angeles International Airport. The individual is currently isolated at home.
The San Francisco Department of Emergency Management also reported one new case Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 14. The patient, who had known contact with another person who tested positive, is hospitalized, officials said.
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Orange County also reported two new cases of the virus, pending confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, bringing that county’s total to five.
Officials confirmed a new coronavirus case in Alameda County – an older individual who left the Grand Princess cruise ship in February. There are now at least four cases of coronavirus in Alameda County, including one individual in Berkeley, which has a separate health officer. The new case is under isolation at home.
San Joaquin County Public Health Services confirmed its first case of the coronavirus. The individual was a passenger on the Grand Princess cruise ship, but was not on the cruise that most recently disembarked in Oakland. The individual has been symptomatic and was hospitalized several days ago.
And Tuesday evening, Calaveras County confirmed an adult and child in a family in Copperopolis tested positive for coronavirus. Their exposure occurred outside the county. The family has remained isolated at home since public health workers launched their investigation of the cases. Close personal contacts of the family identified in the investigation will be quarantined.
Meanwhile, in Washington state, Seattle and King County health officials reported two more deaths, bringing the total deaths linked to the virus in the state to 22. The individuals were not residents of the Life Care Center of Kirkland, a nursing home where 19 patients have died. Both people had previously tested positive.
Beyond health concerns, the effects of the virus have stirred ongoing financial fears that have affected U.S. and global markets. On Tuesday, a day after a global meltdown, stocks and oil markets appeared to stabilize after U.S. and international governments vowed to push more aid into a coronavirus-weakened global economy.
In keeping with new guidance from California health officials, Los Angeles County health officials and local organizers are trying to curtail massive public events. Dr. Barbara Ferrer, L.A. County public health director, advised the public to take extra precautions as the number of cases continued to rise.
“It’s time to start thinking about limiting activities anywhere you have a lot of exposure to the general public,” she said Tuesday, stressing the fact that pregnant women, elderly individuals and those with underlying health conditions are most at risk for developing serious effects from the virus.
Ferrer said starting Wednesday, teams will visit all nursing homes and long-term-care facilities in Los Angeles County — roughly 300 — to ensure they are adequately prepared to enforce infectious disease protocols and help with preventive measures against coronavirus. Teams include health inspectors with the Department of Public Health.
Teams also will assess 330 homeless shelters throughout L.A. County, she said. In dealing with the unsheltered population, the department has a three-pronged strategy: Ensure that shelters take precautions to separate the sick from the healthy; ensure that people on the street have the proper information they need to stay healthy; and identify places where sick individuals may be quarantined.
Officials are looking at sites that would allow them to isolate homeless people who might have COVID-19 from healthy people inside shelters. San Francisco also is developing quarantine locations for people who have tested positive for the virus, have been in contact with an individual with known exposure, and are either homeless or living in shared quarters.
Contra Costa County joined other Bay Area counties Tuesday in urging residents to avoid crowds. As of Tuesday evening, the county had 10 confirmed cases of coronavirus — four people with known contact with people who previously tested positive, and six people who had no recent history of travel outside the U.S. or known contact with a confirmed case.
Dr. Rohan Radhakrishna, deputy health officer, said he recommended all large community events be postponed or canceled. In particular, he said, people at higher risk — those 50 or older and people with underlying medical problems like heart and lung disease, diabetes, cancer or weak immune systems — should not go to mass gatherings such as religious services, celebrations, concerts, sporting events or parades.
Radhakrishna also said employers should suspend nonessential travel, including canceling conferences; allowing employees to telecommute; staggering schedules to reduce the number of workers in the office at the same time; and not requiring doctor’s notes for employees who are feeling ill.
“Given that we now know the novel coronavirus is spreading in our county, this is critical time, perhaps the best and only time for each of us to do our part to protect the community and decrease the spread of this virus,” Radhakrishna said.
In Santa Clara County — where public health officials face the largest number of confirmed cases in California — local leaders issued a rare legal order banning mass gatherings of 1,000 or more people, effective Wednesday through the rest of March.
The order includes sporting events. The San Jose Sharks said the hockey team would abide by the county’s new order, which is enforceable by the county sheriff and police, after declining an earlier recommendation to halt mass gatherings late last week. The San Jose Earthquakes are scheduled to play Sporting Kansas City on March 21, but it remains unclear whether the game will be postponed.
Santa Clara County reported two new coronavirus cases Tuesday, bringing the county’s total to 45 confirmed cases and one death.
“We are clearly facing a historic public health challenge,” Santa Clara County’s health officer Dr. Sara Cody said at a news conference Monday night. “The number and type of cases to date indicate that the risk of exposure to this virus in our community is increasing.”
Across the state, public schools and universities have closed or moved classes online, large gatherings have been canceled, and health officials are urging “social distancing” — reducing chances of contact with an infected person — to mitigate the growing outbreak.
UCLA, USC, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, San Jose State, San Francisco State, Santa Clara, Princeton, Ohio State and Vanderbilt universities became the latest institutions to announce they would suspend all or most in-person classes. More than 25 universities in the U.S., the Mideast, Asia and Italy have announced moves to online learning.
Rancho Mirage announced it was shuttering its library and observatory until March 23, and the Los Angeles Times postponed its annual Festival of Books and Food Bowl. Times staffers also have been given the option to work from home and have been instructed to avoid the workplace for 14 days following any air travel. And Tuesday afternoon, after much speculation, concert promoter Goldenvoice announced the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival would be postponed until October.
But not all gathering places are shutting down. Universal Studios and Disneyland Resort are not closing and are instead monitoring the growing outbreak and regularly communicating with health officials, park officials said. Hand-sanitizing stations have been placed throughout Disneyland, and employees have been instructed to stay home when sick.
A satellite image shows the Grand Princess arriving at the Port of Oakland on Monday with support services nearby. (Satellite image 2020 Maxar Technologies/ Lorena Elebee)
For passengers aboard the Grand Princess, Monday brought relief as the cruise ship reached the Port of Oakland, providing the comfort of land, but no clear answers about their individual futures. After days of being forced to idle off the coast of Northern California, the ship docked with about 3,500 passengers and crew, including at least 21 who had tested positive for the new coronavirus.
“We’re trying to stay calm, and we’re trying to stay positive, but it’s getting harder and harder. They can’t make up their minds how to keep us safe,” said passenger Beryl Ward, 77, of Santa Fe, N.M.
Late in the afternoon, after hours of waiting, a handful of passengers wearing masks headed toward tan medical tents that had been erected earlier. State officials said Sunday the 3,000 travelers stuck in limbo since Wednesday would be screened for symptoms before being sent by ambulance for medical treatment, if necessary, or would board waiting tour buses headed for military bases for a 14-day quarantine.
The operation represented a controversial and high-risk move for federal, state and local officials. They had spent days debating the trade-offs of keeping passengers on board or allowing them to disembark — though more than 1,000 crew members, mostly foreign nationals, will remain quarantined on board.
Passengers wearing masks trickled out of the Grand Princess and walked to the bottom of a ramp, where masked officials in yellow protective gear and blue plastic gloves took their temperature and led them to a tent for more screening before they lined up to board a bus.
By Tuesday afternoon, more than 540 people had been offloaded from the ship. Roughly 228 Canadians were sent back to Canada, and 171 Californians were taken to Travis Air Force Base. At least 26 individuals were sick and being treated for the coronavirus or some other illness, officials said.
Thousands more were still waiting Tuesday to be released. Authorities said foreigners from more than 50 countries would be flown home, while U.S. passengers would be flown or bused to military bases in California, Texas and Georgia.
Elsewhere, cruise ship agencies have canceled upcoming stops in Monterey Bay after the city asked companies to alter their impending trips, city officials said. The Royal Princess has canceled its March 31, April 14 and April 28 visits to Monterey, and the Maasdam–Holland America cruise ship has canceled its April 29 visit.
“The city of Monterey has an obligation to ensure the public health of our residents, employees and visitors, and we appreciate the cruise ship companies taking action on behalf of our request,” City Manager Hans Uslar said in a statement.
The city of Santa Barbara also announced the cancellation of a Grand Princess cruise scheduled to visit the area March 24. City officials plan to contact other cruise lines to cancel upcoming visits to Santa Barbara until the CDC removes its travel advisory for cruise ships. There are 10 cruise stops planned for Santa Barbara through June.
“I appreciate Princess Cruises taking action and protecting the safety of the community and passengers. We are asking other cruise lines to follow their lead and take a cautious approach,” Santa Barbara Mayor Cathy Murillo said.
As of Tuesday afternoon, there were more than 118,000 total virus cases worldwide, and more than 4,200 total deaths. Nationwide, more than 800 people were confirmed to be infected with the virus.
In California, the second person to die from the virus was a woman in Santa Clara County Officials said she was in her 60s and had been hospitalized for several weeks. Last week, Placer County public health officials announced that a 71-year-old Rocklin resident who had tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a cruise to Mexico last month died.
In Long Beach, three people are believed to have contracted the coronavirus after preliminary testing, officials announced Monday afternoon.
Riverside University Health System-Public Health also announced three new cases in Coachella Valley. The individuals are believed to have traveled to an area with a known outbreak, or had contact with a known case, Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said. Two of the individuals have been isolated at home. The third is at a Coachella Valley hospital.
The county also confirmed its second case from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, bringing the number of COVID-19 cases in the county to at least six.
The nation’s capital also took a hit as six lawmakers, in rapid succession, announced their self-quarantine following exposure to someone with the virus.
Several lawmakers were exposed to a single person with coronavirus at a conservative political conference late last month. U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village) met in Washington last week with someone later diagnosed with the virus.
All of them said they would self-quarantine even though they felt fine. Brownley shuttered her Washington office for the week. She and her staff would work from home, she said.
Medical personnel in tents, left, tend to passengers as they disembark from the Grand Princess cruise ship at the Port of Oakland. (Josh Edelson / AFP / Getty Images)
Times staff writers Richard Read, Jaclyn Cosgrove, Sarah Parvini , Thomas Curwen and Anita Chabria contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-10--L.A. County, now with 20 coronavirus cases, has first from community spread. Here is what we know

Los Angeles County announced its first coronavirus case of community spread , with the total number of cases rising to 20 .
L.A. County Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said one of the two new cases in her agency ’ s jurisdiction is that of a person who had a known travel history to Japan .
The source of exposure of the second person is unknown .
Separately , Long Beach , which has its own health department , reported its first cases of coronavirus-infected patients — two men and one woman .
“ This is our first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and we will continue to see more cases of COVID-19 , ” Ferrer said .
“ We continue to urge everyone to do their part : Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick ; plan for the possibility of school and business closures.
” The two new confirmed coronavirus patients in Los Angeles County jurisdiction are in isolation , and all close contacts are or will be quarantined for 14 days .
Of the three new coronavirus patients in Long Beach , one is hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are at home in isolation .
Two recently returned from a cruise on the Nile River in Egypt , where other cases of coronavirus had been reported on the ship , and the other person had traveled to an area in Northern California where community transmission of the virus was occurring .
Ferrer said anyone who has spent 10 minutes with an infected individual or came within 6 feet of him or her would be considered a close contact .
Of the patients monitored by L.A. County , one individual has fully recovered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ferrer did not identify the specific location of any individual , but said that if a known public exposure occurs , residents would learn more information .
Ferrer estimated that 80 to 100 individuals have been tested for the virus at the county ’ s public health lab , but noted that the lab ’ s testing capacity is limited .
“ We can not , in L.A. County , test 1,000 people in a day , ” she said .
Ferrer recommended social distancing , and that individuals who are sick stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be most vulnerable to the virus .
“ We recognize that the most important thing we can do right now is to stay home when we ’ re sick — no matter how mild our symptoms are.
” No school closure has been recommended in the county — a decision she said would be based on exposure .
Here is the latest breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County • 8 involve a group of travelers who visited northern Italy , where the coronavirus has been widespread .
• 2 are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patient .
• 1 is a person who traveled from Japan .
• 1 came from a conference in Washington state .
• 2 recently returned from a cruise on the Nile River where other cases of the virus were reported on the ship .
• 1 traveled to an area in Northern California where the virus is spreading in the community .

Los Angeles County announced its first coronavirus case of community spread, with the total number of cases rising to 20.
L.A. County Public Health Department Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer said one of the two new cases in her agency’s jurisdiction is that of a person who had a known travel history to Japan. The source of exposure of the second person is unknown. Separately, Long Beach, which has its own health department, reported its first cases of coronavirus-infected patients — two men and one woman.
“This is our first case of community transmission in L.A. County and we will continue to see more cases of COVID-19,” Ferrer said. “We continue to urge everyone to do their part: Stay home if you are sick and keep your children home if they are sick; plan for the possibility of school and business closures.”
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The two new confirmed coronavirus patients in Los Angeles County jurisdiction are in isolation, and all close contacts are or will be quarantined for 14 days.
Of the three new coronavirus patients in Long Beach, one is hospitalized in stable condition; the other two are at home in isolation. Two recently returned from a cruise on the Nile River in Egypt, where other cases of coronavirus had been reported on the ship, and the other person had traveled to an area in Northern California where community transmission of the virus was occurring.
Ferrer said anyone who has spent 10 minutes with an infected individual or came within 6 feet of him or her would be considered a close contact.
Of the patients monitored by L.A. County, one individual has fully recovered, and the remaining are isolated. Ferrer did not identify the specific location of any individual, but said that if a known public exposure occurs, residents would learn more information.
Ferrer estimated that 80 to 100 individuals have been tested for the virus at the county’s public health lab, but noted that the lab’s testing capacity is limited.
“We cannot, in L.A. County, test 1,000 people in a day,” she said. Ferrer recommended social distancing, and that individuals who are sick stay home in order to protect others who may be most vulnerable to the virus.
“We recognize that the most important thing we can do right now is to stay home when we’re sick — no matter how mild our symptoms are.”
No school closure has been recommended in the county — a decision she said would be based on exposure.
Here is the latest breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County
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• 8 involve a group of travelers who visited northern Italy, where the coronavirus has been widespread.
• 2 are connected to close contact to a coronavirus patient.
• 2 are Los Angeles International Airport workers.
• 1 is a person who traveled from Japan.
• 1 lived in Wuhan, China.
• 1 came from a conference in Washington state.
• 1 case is of unknown origin.
• 2 recently returned from a cruise on the Nile River where other cases of the virus were reported on the ship.
• 1 traveled to an area in Northern California where the virus is spreading in the community.
• 1 traveled from Iran to LAX


latimes--2020-03-09--LAX will try 2 new taxi pickup spots starting Tuesday

LAX will test two new taxi pickup locations beginning 8 a.m. Tuesday , March 10 .
A pilot program will add two taxi pickup spots , one near the Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 3 , the other near Terminals 7 and 8 , in addition to the LAX-it pickup lot near Terminal 1 , officials said .
Ride-hail and taxi pickups have been concentrated at LAX-it since being relocated from the Central Terminal Area in October to make room for construction and to compensate for an increasing number of ride-hailing vehicles at LAX .
The pilot program doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and taxi users can continue to use LAX-it .
But they will have two new options : • The new taxi pickup site aimed at arriving passengers from the Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 3 will be in Parking Structure 3 .
LAX officials said the location would be the lane closest to the Bradley International Terminal on the ground floor of Parking Structure 3 .
“ Passenger queuing will occur on the curb nearest the taxi lanes , ” LAX officials said in a statement .
• The Terminal 7 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Lower/Arrivals level of the Central Terminal Area , just east of the easternmost entrance to Terminal 8 .
Passengers will queue on the curb by the taxi stand , east of the area where buses and shuttles exit the inner lanes .
“ The fundamentals behind LAX-it do not change , ” said Heath Montgomery , airport spokesman .
LAX officials first said the change would come in late March , then on Monday decided to begin on March 10 , Montgomery said .
Airport officials plan to try the pilot program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made on whether to continue it , Montgomery said .
The October move from curbside terminal pickups to LAX-it brought a flurry of delays and complaints in early weeks , a situation that eased when airport officials gave the LAX-it operation more space and resources .
Airport officials say LAX-it shuttle bus rides from all terminals to the LAX-it area average less than 15 minutes .
Once in the LAX-it area , airport officials said , “ Guests typically wait less than 10 minutes — and frequently not at all — for their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials also noted that “ because space for both taxis and pedestrians at the two new pickup locations is limited , ” travelers using the Bradley Terminal or Terminals 3 , 7 or 8 should consider using LAX-it during high-traffic times .
Passengers using Terminals 1 , 2 ,4 , 5 and 6 should continue to walk or take free shuttles to the LAX-it area , LAX officials said .

In January, many taxi drivers demonstrated at LAX to call for a return to curbside pickups. A new pilot program will allow some taxi pickups near the Bradley International Terminal and Terminals 3, 7 and 8.
LAX will test two new taxi pickup locations beginning 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 10.
A pilot program will add two taxi pickup spots, one near the Tom Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 3, the other near Terminals 7 and 8, in addition to the LAX-it pickup lot near Terminal 1, officials said.
Ride-hail and taxi pickups have been concentrated at LAX-it since being relocated from the Central Terminal Area in October to make room for construction and to compensate for an increasing number of ride-hailing vehicles at LAX.
The pilot program doesn’t change anything for ride-hail users, and taxi users can continue to use LAX-it. But they will have two new options:
• The new taxi pickup site aimed at arriving passengers from the Bradley International Terminal and Terminal 3 will be in Parking Structure 3. LAX officials said the location would be the lane closest to the Bradley International Terminal on the ground floor of Parking Structure 3.
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“Passenger queuing will occur on the curb nearest the taxi lanes,” LAX officials said in a statement.
• The Terminal 7 and 8 taxi pickup spot will be on the Lower/Arrivals level of the Central Terminal Area, just east of the easternmost entrance to Terminal 8. Passengers will queue on the curb by the taxi stand, east of the area where buses and shuttles exit the inner lanes.
“The fundamentals behind LAX-it do not change,” said Heath Montgomery, airport spokesman.
LAX officials first said the change would come in late March, then on Monday decided to begin on March 10, Montgomery said. Airport officials plan to try the pilot program fort 90 days before a decision is made on whether to continue it, Montgomery said.
The October move from curbside terminal pickups to LAX-it brought a flurry of delays and complaints in early weeks, a situation that eased when airport officials gave the LAX-it operation more space and resources.
Airport officials say LAX-it shuttle bus rides from all terminals to the LAX-it area average less than 15 minutes. Once in the LAX-it area, airport officials said, “Guests typically wait less than 10 minutes — and frequently not at all — for their taxi or ride app pickup.”
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Airport officials also noted that “because space for both taxis and pedestrians at the two new pickup locations is limited,” travelers using the Bradley Terminal or Terminals 3, 7 or 8 should consider using LAX-it during high-traffic times.
Passengers using Terminals 1, 2 ,4, 5 and 6 should continue to walk or take free shuttles to the LAX-it area, LAX officials said.


latimes--2020-03-12--Santa Monica and Malibu schools to close two days for cleaning after coronavirus exposure

The school district that serves Santa Monica and Malibu is closing Friday and Monday for deep cleaning and staff meetings after “ a community member with children in our schools ” was exposed to the coronavirus , Supt .
Ben Drati said .
No decision has been made on whether schools will reopen Tuesday .
“ We have noticed a higher than normal absentee rate on our campuses today and will take this time to determine if students are ill , with what type of illness , or if parents are keeping students home during the coronavirus pandemic , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This allows us time to consult with our local agencies and consider the status of this health emergency in L.A. County and the communities we serve .
Staff and teachers will prepare for possible school closures next week.
” The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District serves about 10,500 students .
About 1 in 4 students are from lower-income families , according to state data .
The neighboring L.A. Unified School District , which has close to 78,000 employees and serves about 700,000 students — including preschoolers and adults — has not closed any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not released recent attendance data for students or employees .

The school district that serves Santa Monica and Malibu is closing Friday and Monday for deep cleaning and staff meetings after “a community member with children in our schools” was exposed to the coronavirus, Supt. Ben Drati said.
No decision has been made on whether schools will reopen Tuesday.
“We have noticed a higher than normal absentee rate on our campuses today and will take this time to determine if students are ill, with what type of illness, or if parents are keeping students home during the coronavirus pandemic,” Drati said in his statement. “This allows us time to consult with our local agencies and consider the status of this health emergency in L.A. County and the communities we serve. Staff and teachers will prepare for possible school closures next week.”
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District serves about 10,500 students. About 1 in 4 students are from lower-income families, according to state data.
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The neighboring L.A. Unified School District, which has close to 78,000 employees and serves about 700,000 students — including preschoolers and adults — has not closed any schools so far.
The district has not released recent attendance data for students or employees.


latimes--2020-03-12--San Francisco will close all public schools in response to coronavirus outbreak

The San Francisco Unified School District is closing all schools for three weeks , beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3 .
The move came after four students at Lakeshore Elementary School showed symptoms of pneumonia , probably from the coronavirus , the district said .
Lakeshore Elementary was ordered closed Wednesday after the students and some of their adult family members reported respiratory illness .
The large Elk Grove Unified School District in Sacramento County has also been closed , as have a scattering of other schools around the state .
Despite mounting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ School District campuses to close , officials said they would not .
Though schools are engaging in contingency planning that includes granting the superintendent broad emergency powers , canceling large events and planning for lessons delivered on TV , public health and school officials said they planned to keep schools open unless a campus has a confirmed case .
Meanwhile , as of Thursday afternoon , more than 23,000 people had signed a Change.org petition to close all schools in the district because of the coronavirus .
The school board is meeting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from L.A. Unified Supt .
Austin Beutner .
Board President Richard Vladovic said Thursday it was important to rely on the advice of health officials in making the call on whether to close schools .
“ The prudent decision is take direction from the doctors and the healthcare providers that happen to know , ” he said .
“ I can ’ t second-guess a pandemic and how it ’ s spread .
If there ’ s ever a doubt , the safety of children will come first.
” Officials from the governor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools , citing the hardships for families and the difficulty in providing academic services and the school meals that children depend on .
But Vladovic acknowledged there was widespread debate among parents and employees about what was best .

The San Francisco Unified School District is closing all schools for three weeks, beginning Monday through the end of the regularly scheduled spring break April 3.
The move came after four students at Lakeshore Elementary School showed symptoms of pneumonia, probably from the coronavirus, the district said. Lakeshore Elementary was ordered closed Wednesday after the students and some of their adult family members reported respiratory illness.
The large Elk Grove Unified School District in Sacramento County has also been closed, as have a scattering of other schools around the state.
Despite mounting cries Thursday afternoon for Los Angeles Unified School District campuses to close, officials said they would not.
Though schools are engaging in contingency planning that includes granting the superintendent broad emergency powers, canceling large events and planning for lessons delivered on TV, public health and school officials said they planned to keep schools open unless a campus has a confirmed case.
Meanwhile, as of Thursday afternoon, more than 23,000 people had signed a Change.org petition to close all schools in the district because of the coronavirus.
The school board is meeting in closed session Friday for a status report from L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner.
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Board President Richard Vladovic said Thursday it was important to rely on the advice of health officials in making the call on whether to close schools.
“The prudent decision is take direction from the doctors and the healthcare providers that happen to know,” he said. “I can’t second-guess a pandemic and how it’s spread. If there’s ever a doubt, the safety of children will come first.”
Officials from the governor on down have avoided calling for closing schools, citing the hardships for families and the difficulty in providing academic services and the school meals that children depend on. But Vladovic acknowledged there was widespread debate among parents and employees about what was best.


latimes--2020-03-12--Should L.A. Unified close schools to half a million students? The coronavirus debate rages

On Facebook and group chats , the rumors are spreading .
With more cases of the novel coronavirus being confirmed daily , will L.A. Unified School District close its 860-some campuses this week , or next week , or not at all ?
Should it follow in the footsteps of the universities that are rapidly moving to online learning or the K-12 districts in Northern California and across the country that have shuttered as they have confirmed their first cases of the virus ?
The answer , as of Thursday afternoon , was no .
Despite mounting cries on Thursday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it would not .
While schools are engaging in contingency planning that includes granting the superintendent broad emergency powers , canceling large events and planning for lessons delivered on TV , public health and school officials said they planned to keep schools open unless a confirmed case reaches a campus .
Meanwhile , more than 19,000 people had signed a Change.org petition to close all schools in the district because of the coronavirus .
“ Let us not wait for an individual to test positive but make sure we close schools before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday .
Also on Thursday , Washington Gov .
Jay Inslee announced that 43 school districts across three counties in that state would be closed for the next six weeks .
This followed similar announcements from Ohio and Maryland .
In the Los Angeles area , some private schools have announced campus closures and a transition to online learning , including Campbell Hall in Studio City , Harvard-Westlake ’ s two L.A. campuses and Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena .
Also , the school district that serves Santa Monica and Malibu announced that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a deep cleaning and staff meetings after “ a community member with children in our schools ” was exposed to coronavirus , according to a release from Supt .
Ben Drati .
The Los Angeles Unified school board is scheduled to meet in a closed session on Friday for a status report from L.A. Unified Supt .
Austin Beutner .
Board President Richard Vladovic said Thursday it was important to rely on the advice of health officials in making the call on whether to close schools .
“ The prudent decision is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ healthcare providers that happen to know , ” he said .
“ I can ’ t second-guess a pandemic and how it ’ s spread .
If there ’ s ever a doubt , the safety of children will come first.
” Officials from the governor on down have avoided calling for closing schools , citing the hardships for families , the difficulty in providing academic services and even the school meals that children depend on .
But Vladovic acknowledged there was widespread debate among parents and employees about what was best .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , and I ’ m in that group that is very susceptible , and I know that many of our employees are as well , ” said Vladovic , who is 75 and has battled health issues in recent years .
So far , L.A. County has been taking cues from Singapore , which did not close schools en masse but screened people for illness and had strict protocols for who could enter schools , said Dr. Barbara Ferrer , director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health , at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she said , serves many parents with “ very limited income , who don ’ t get sick leaves , ” who often are working multiple jobs and can ’ t necessarily put kids in daycare .
Schools should be kept open if they can function safely , Ferrer said , but sick people need to stay away .
As the nation ’ s second-largest school district , LAUSD serves about half a million students , eight in 10 of whom rely on free or reduced-price lunches and 18,000 of whom are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nick Melvoin said the decision on whether to close was therefore a hard one .
Plus , he said , the district ’ s actions can create a domino effect , putting pressure on other large urban school districts to shut down , too .
The federal government has given California a waiver to allow meal distribution to students even if school is canceled , but that could still present logistical challenges .
“ They ’ re relying on us for meals , for child care and I also think from a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ If schools close , parents who have to go to work may be forced to take their children with them .
Also , children in middle school and high school would likely congregate in public areas anyway , as teenagers tend to do .
“ The school environment is one we can control right now , ” Melvoin said Thursday afternoon .
Ferrer said a clear tipping point for closing a school would be if a person with infection was identified at that campus .
A complication , said Vladovic , is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campuses ; children are bused from one neighborhood to another ; employees come from all parts of the city .
“ There are so many connections in the district , ” he said .
“ I ’ m trying to figure out how you isolate something to one , two , three , four or five schools .
You don ’ t. ” “ I think at some point , ” Vladovic said , “ the closing of schools is inevitable .
It will happen — when and where I don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started keeping their kids home .
On a Facebook group started during last year ’ s strike , Parents Supporting Teachers , families are sharing resources for at-home learning .
“ For those parents who have said to me , ‘ I don ’ t feel comfortable sending my kids to school , ’ I have said I ’ m ... going to do everything I can to make sure absences during this period are excused , ” Melvoin said .
L.A. Unified isn ’ t the only district to close large events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy Thursday .
Elsewhere in L.A. County , schools are closing temporarily so they can prepare for online instruction .
Las Virgenes Unified , for example , will close for two days next week for “ staff in-service time to prepare for the likelihood of a district-wide closure , ” the district ’ s Supt .
Dan Stepenosky said in a letter to families Thursday .
State funding , which accounts for most of the money that goes to California public schools , is doled out based on how many students attend school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pandemic like this , schools can seek to recover funding if they close schools , as long as they do so under the direction of public health agencies .
The California Department of Education ’ s guidance to schools notes that “ closing a school simply as a precaution ” may mean the district will not qualify for such a waiver , and the school could incur “ a penalty for failure to offer the statutorily required instructional days and/or minutes.
” Melvoin said he would push for LAUSD to receive funding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with school closings .
Emma Alvarez Gibson , whose son attends Dodson Middle School in Rancho Palos Verdes , said the possibility of lost funding wasn ’ t a good enough reason to put children and their families at risk .
She believes there ’ s not enough soap or hand sanitizer at her son ’ s school and that efforts to keep students apart are logistically unfeasible on such campuses .
“ I ’ m not sure how lunch period , nutrition period and however many passing periods they have ...
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s not a large event , ” Alvarez Gibson said .
Her son has been attending school , Gibson said , but she will likely pull him out after Thursday .
“ They are not safe as far as I ’ m concerned , ” she said .

Sonali Kohli, Hailey Branson-Potts, Howard Blume, Nina Agrawal

On Facebook and group chats, the rumors are spreading.
With more cases of the novel coronavirus being confirmed daily, will L.A. Unified School District close its 860-some campuses this week, or next week, or not at all? Should it follow in the footsteps of the universities that are rapidly moving to online learning or the K-12 districts in Northern California and across the country that have shuttered as they have confirmed their first cases of the virus?
The answer, as of Thursday afternoon, was no. Despite mounting cries for LAUSD to close, officials said it would not.
Still, the district has been preparing for that step. Schools are engaging in contingency planning that includes granting the superintendent broad emergency powers, canceling large events and planning for lessons delivered on TV. The district also has two online platforms: a system through which teachers and students can communicate and a separate system of self-contained online courses.
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To date, no coronavirus case has been linked to an L.A. public school, although there are confirmed cases elsewhere in the county that have spread through the community without a clear origin. Public health and school officials said say they plan to keep schools open unless a confirmed case reaches a campus.
Nonetheless, the head of United Teachers Los Angeles, the union that represents about 30,000 L.A. Unified employees, demanded the district shut down campuses during a news conference on Thursday evening.
“We are calling for the rapid, accelerated and humane closure of all schools in L.A.,” UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl said. Experience in other countries, he said, has shown that limiting the reach of the virus by closing schools “actually slows the spread, flattens out the spread and makes sure that healthcare providers are not crushed with an overwhelming demand.”
He acknowledged that additional planning might be required. Many students rely on L.A. Unified for meals during the school day. Those considerations, though serious, have to take a back seat to public health priorities, UTLA leaders said.
The union also called for an expansion of the social safety net through such measures as stipends so parents could stay at home with their children, extended sick leave to cover the incubation period of the coronavirus illness and funding to cover the cost of testing and treatment. More broadly, the union is calling for “debt forgiveness” to prevent families from financial hardship caused by the loss of jobs or work hours related to the crisis.
“We are only as protected collectively as the most vulnerable person is protected,” Caputo-Pearl said.
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Many parents agreed on the call to close schools. More than 19,000 people had signed a Change.org petition to close all schools in the district because of the coronavirus. “Let us not wait for an individual to test positive but make sure we close schools before that happens,” the petition urged Thursday.
Also on Thursday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced that 43 school districts across three counties in that state would be closed for the next six weeks. This followed similar announcements from Ohio and Maryland.
In the Los Angeles area, some private schools have announced campus closures and a transition to online learning, including Campbell Hall in Studio City, Harvard-Westlake’s two L.A. campuses and Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena. Also, the school district that serves Santa Monica and Malibu announced that it would close Friday and Monday for a deep cleaning and staff meetings after “a community member with children in our schools” was exposed to coronavirus, according to a release from Supt. Ben Drati.
The Los Angeles Unified school board is scheduled to meet in a closed session on Friday for a status report from L.A. Unified Supt. Austin Beutner.
Board President Richard Vladovic said Thursday it was important to rely on the advice of health officials in making the call on whether to close schools. “The prudent decision is to take direction from the doctors and the healthcare providers that happen to know,” he said. “I can’t second-guess a pandemic and how it’s spread. If there’s ever a doubt, the safety of children will come first.”
Officials from the governor on down have avoided calling for closing schools, citing the hardships for families, the difficulty in providing academic services and even the school meals that children depend on. But Vladovic acknowledged there was widespread debate among parents and employees about what was best.
“I’m very sensitive to that, and I’m in that group that is very susceptible, and I know that many of our employees are as well,” said Vladovic, who is 75 and has battled health issues in recent years.
So far, L.A. County has been taking cues from Singapore, which did not close schools en masse but screened people for illness and had strict protocols for who could enter schools, said Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, at a news conference Thursday.
The district, she said, serves many parents with “very limited income, who don’t get sick leaves,” who often are working multiple jobs and can’t necessarily put kids in daycare. Schools should be kept open if they can function safely, Ferrer said, but sick people need to stay away.
As the nation’s second-largest school district, LAUSD serves about half a million students, eight in 10 of whom rely on free or reduced-price lunches and 18,000 of whom are homeless. L.A. Unified school board member Nick Melvoin said the decision on whether to close was therefore a hard one. Plus, he said, the district’s actions can create a domino effect, putting pressure on other large urban school districts to shut down, too.
The federal government has given California a waiver to allow meal distribution to students even if school is canceled, but that could still present logistical challenges.
“They’re relying on us for meals, for child care and I also think from a public health concern,” Melvoin said. If schools close, parents who have to go to work may be forced to take their children with them. Also, children in middle school and high school would likely congregate in public areas anyway, as teenagers tend to do.
“The school environment is one we can control right now,” Melvoin said Thursday afternoon.
School nurse Stephanie Yellin-Mednick said she’s been inundated with questions and dealt with many sick children at the Sherman Oaks Center for Enriched Studies. But it’s the seasonal flu, not the coronavirus, and so far, absences have not spiked beyond typical levels.
Ferrer said a clear tipping point for closing a school would be if a person with infection was identified at that campus. A complication, said Vladovic, is the interconnection among schools. Siblings attend different campuses; children are bused from one neighborhood to another; employees come from all parts of the city.
“There are so many connections in the district. I’m trying to figure out how you isolate something to one, two, three, four or five schools. You don’t,” Vladovic said. “I think at some point, the closing of schools is inevitable.”
UTLA Elementary Vice President Gloria Martinez said Thursday that some teachers are anxious, but mainly because they haven’t been reassured that district officials have planned properly for managing school closures.
Some parents have already started keeping their kids at home. On a Facebook group started during last year’s strike, Parents Supporting Teachers, families are sharing resources for at-home learning.
“For those parents who have said to me, ‘I don’t feel comfortable sending my kids to school,’ I have said I’m ... going to do everything I can to make sure absences during this period are excused,” Melvoin said.
L.A. Unified isn’t the only district to close large events; Long Beach Unified announced a similar policy Thursday. Elsewhere in L.A. County, schools are closing temporarily so they can prepare for online instruction. Las Virgenes Unified, for example, will close for two days next week for “staff in-service time to prepare for the likelihood of a district-wide closure,” the district’s Supt. Dan Stepenosky said in a letter to families Thursday.
State funding, which accounts for most of the money that goes to California public schools, is doled out based on how many students attend school each day. In the case of a pandemic like this, schools can seek to recover funding if they close schools, as long as they do so under the direction of public health agencies.
The California Department of Education’s guidance to schools notes that “closing a school simply as a precaution” may mean the district will not qualify for such a waiver, and the school could incur “a penalty for failure to offer the statutorily required instructional days and/or minutes.”
Melvoin said he would push for LAUSD to receive funding from the state regardless of what happened with school closings.
Emma Alvarez Gibson, whose son attends Dodson Middle School in Rancho Palos Verdes, said the possibility of lost funding wasn’t a good enough reason to put children and their families at risk. She believes there’s not enough soap or hand sanitizer at her son’s school and that efforts to keep students apart are logistically unfeasible on such campuses.
“I’m not sure how lunch period, nutrition period and however many passing periods they have ... I’m not sure how that’s not a large event,” Alvarez Gibson said.
Her son has been attending school, Gibson said, but she will likely pull him out after Thursday.
“They are not safe as far as I’m concerned,” she said.
Times staff writer Paloma Esquivel contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-12--L.A. County firefighters isolated after treating coronavirus patient

Los Angeles County fire department personnel are under isolation and being monitored after they treated a coronavirus patient who died @ @ @ @ @ call came March 9 , when personnel dealt with a person in cardiac arrest .
@ @ @ @ @ the patient died and had COVID-19 .
Fire personnel exposed to the patient “ have @ @ @ @ @ are now undergoing active monitoring at home .
Our personnel are currently symptom free and @ @ @ @ @ any developing symptoms , ” the department said in a statement .
Separately , a @ @ @ @ @ prompting precautionary actions by that city ’ s Fire Department .
“ We don ’ @ @ @ @ @ contracted the illness .
However , he is in a hospital in another city where @ @ @ @ @ by medical professionals , ” the San Jose Fire Department said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ identified as at risk for exposure are on leave .
”

Los Angeles County fire department personnel are under isolation and being monitored after they treated a coronavirus patient who died.
Officials said the medical call came March 9, when personnel dealt with a person in cardiac arrest. Later, the department learned the patient died and had COVID-19.
Fire personnel exposed to the patient “have been isolated from work and are now undergoing active monitoring at home. Our personnel are currently symptom free and are being reviewed regularly for any developing symptoms,” the department said in a statement.
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Separately, a San Jose firefighter has tested positive for the coronavirus, prompting precautionary actions by that city’s Fire Department.
“We don’t know how the firefighter contracted the illness. However, he is in a hospital in another city where he resides, being treated by medical professionals,” the San Jose Fire Department said in a statement. “Employees who have been identified as at risk for exposure are on leave.”


latimes--2020-03-12--Can L.A. nightlife survive the coronavirus?

Just before Noah Cyrus walked onstage at the Roxy on Tuesday night , Gogo Morrow showed off how she was preparing for concerts in the age of coronavirus .
“ We figured out a whole new way to greet each other , ” the 28-year-old said and extended a foot to tap toes with her friend Tayler Green , 27 .
Both live in L.A. and are big live music fans .
They had decided not to let the spread of COVID-19 stop them from enjoying their nightlife .
As Cyrus played her trap-pop single “ Live or Die ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was on their minds , but it hadn ’ t kept them barricaded at home .
Not yet at least .
“ I ’ m definitely washing my hands a lot more , ” Green said .
“ But it ’ s not like ‘ OMG I ’ m never going out again.
’ ” They might have felt differently just a couple of days later .
After a week when most travel from Europe was banned , Coachella was postponed until October , the NBA season was suspended and the country finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , going out to concerts was both a way to cling to normalcy and , perhaps , a pleasure that should stop immediately .
Over two nights , The Times went to various local shows to see how music fans were reacting to the pandemic and to get a glimpse of how the city ’ s live music scene may change as the reality of coronavirus sets in .
Some fans seemed cavalier about it all , making jokes with friends and pressing the flesh in crowds from Highland Park to West Hollywood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last gasp before the music stopped .
On Wednesday , California Gov .
Gavin Newsom recommended that all gatherings of over 250 people should be canceled .
The following day , Live Nation and AEG , North America ’ s largest concert promoters , announced that they were suspending all of their tours currently on the road , domestically and internationally .
Andrew Odom is a member of the Los Angeles Nightlife Alliance , an activist group that works with nightlife promoters to improve venue safety .
Usually , its work is more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ training staff how to intervene in a suspected drug overdose .
But coronavirus is a whole new worry , one that even seasoned promoters are trying to get a grasp on .
“ Our community ’ s health and the health of our loved ones is paramount , ” he said .
“ We recommend that we follow the social distancing guidelines that the state of California has issued , whether through limiting the size of events or postponing them all together.
” Government officials should also recognize that nightlife is a livelihood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a particularly vulnerable one in this time .
“ Many within our community rely on nightlife as their sole source of income , ” he said .
“ We also call on the state to provide assistance to members of the service community and to call for an end to any evictions during this crisis.
” On Tuesday , outside the longtime Hollywood club the Hotel Cafe , which serves as a hub for singer-songwriters , Alissa Torvinen and Jean Baptiste had just seen a set by Sunny Ozell .
Both said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus ’ s spread .
“ I ’ m a germaphobe , so this is hard , ” Baptiste said .
Torvinen added that both she and Baptiste have become hyper-vigilant about cleanliness .
“ If we are eating , we wash before we eat .
We both have these hospital wipes and we wipe down our phones and we wipe down our door handles after we wash our hands.
” Asked if they ’ d be attending any big music events in coming months , both offered a firm no .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and out from different places , you can ’ t risk it , ” Baptiste said .
Torvinen added that the day before she sent what she called “ a DIY Purell kit ” to her grandmother in Florida , who was braving the outbreak to see a concert by pop crooner Josh Groban .
But they still had a sense of humor about it all .
Baptiste quipped that “ I don ’ t think there ’ s going to be any coronavirus at a Josh Groban concert.
” Public health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the week went on , the bad news rolled in .
The NHL season was called off .
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they ’ d contracted coronavirus .
The U.S. government ’ s response felt less than reassuring to many people , to say the least .
The jokes got harder to make .
L.A. concert industry professionals were particularly starting to feel nervous .
At the Brite Spot diner in Echo Park on Thursday morning , Phil Riehl was waiting for the call that might determine the rest of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the stage manager for Bon Iver and Childish Gambino and has a European arena tour with Bon Iver planned for the spring .
For big tours , insurance would help cover some of the costs of any disruptions , he said .
But for local clubs and their working-class venue staff , or for artists without the backing of big firms , the loss of tour dates could be a slow-rolling disaster for their livelihoods .
“ It ’ s at the cusp of being a bigger worry .
Big shows will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to keep their doors open , this is the last thing they need , ” Riehl said .
“ Artists are responsible for a lot of people ’ s jobs .
If shows start getting canceled , then tours get called off and the dominoes start to fall.
” He ’ d been helping friends find temporary work in clubs when their international tours were affected .
But he understood the predicament that artists , managers and everyone else is in right now .
“ A tour bus is like a cruise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ No one has experience dealing with a pandemic on tour .
Do artists want to take that risk ?
” Entertainment companies are trying to figure that out now .
Kristen Jaconi , director of the risk management program at USC ’ s Marshall School of Business , expects the concert industry to be immediately affected by coronavirus .
“ It ’ s going to have a significant economic impact on sectors like entertainment and travel , where it ’ s all about social cohesion and opposite of social distance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as coronavirus roils social spaces , there will probably be at least a temporary shift to digital life and cocooning at home .
For now , packed nightclubs may start to feel more dangerous than enticing .
“ Companies will have to be inventive in moving things onto virtual spaces , ” she said .
“ When you see a soccer game played with no fans , it ’ s eerie , but it might be state of play for the next few weeks.
” That reality hadn ’ t set in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the El Rey on Wednesday , as the dance-punk band the Rapture played the first of a three-night stand , 24-year-old Dana Salas of Alhambra tried to brush it off and cut some rug on the dance floor regardless .
“ I ’ m not too afraid , it ’ s just a virus like the flu , ” she said , echoing the low-key attitudes that a lot of fans — for better or worse — shared at nightclubs this week .
“ But seeing all these people in Alhambra with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sam Thorne , 24 , from Pasadena was one of them .
He had a face mask packed in his bag as he hung out on the El Rey ’ s smoking patio .
“ We were just being goofy about it , but then we realized it might actually be a good idea , ” he joked .
Coachella ’ s cancellation was the buzz in the room , and regulars were starting to make new plans for the spring .
Kevin Costa , 35 , had tickets to attend the festival @ @ @ @ @ @ @ silver linings to the postponement .
“ Now it ’ ll just be less hot since it ’ s in October , so that ’ s cool , ” he said , laughing .
“ It ’ s definitely a problem , but it doesn ’ t feel like that a big of a deal yet.
” As this scary , strange week ground on , music fans and venue owners were beginning to grasp the dark season ahead of them .
Maybe younger fans were more blasé about it all , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a jazz club in Mid-City catering to a bit of an older audience , Curtis Mitchell was throwing his 60th birthday on the patio .
He was ebullient about his party but very aware of the stakes .
The NBA season ending was a sign that coronavirus would truly start to affect daily life , he said .
But in a way , that only made him more eager to be out with friends .
“ You don ’ t see anybody here not hugging each other or enjoying life , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by en route to the bar .
“ Being at home alone is kind of a prison.
” The club ’ s owner , Derrick Pipkin , agreed .
Business hadn ’ t dropped off yet , he said , and his club was packed with dapper jazz fans dancing like any other night .
But as they ordered drinks , their eyes were warily watching a TV behind the bar with a chyron scroll of bad news .
“ The scariest thing is that I need people here , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we need our neighborhood .
”

The Roxy on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. Nightclubs face an uncertain path forward amid restrictions on large gatherings and general coronavirus fears.
Just before Noah Cyrus walked onstage at the Roxy on Tuesday night, Gogo Morrow showed off how she was preparing for concerts in the age of coronavirus.
“We figured out a whole new way to greet each other,” the 28-year-old said and extended a foot to tap toes with her friend Tayler Green, 27. Both live in L.A. and are big live music fans. They had decided not to let the spread of COVID-19 stop them from enjoying their nightlife. As Cyrus played her trap-pop single “Live or Die” to the sold-out crowd, the virus was on their minds, but it hadn’t kept them barricaded at home. Not yet at least.
“I’m definitely washing my hands a lot more,” Green said. “But it’s not like ‘OMG I’m never going out again.’ ”
They might have felt differently just a couple of days later. After a week when most travel from Europe was banned, Coachella was postponed until October, the NBA season was suspended and the country finally accepted that a pandemic is truly spreading, going out to concerts was both a way to cling to normalcy and, perhaps, a pleasure that should stop immediately.
Over two nights, The Times went to various local shows to see how music fans were reacting to the pandemic and to get a glimpse of how the city’s live music scene may change as the reality of coronavirus sets in.
Some fans seemed cavalier about it all, making jokes with friends and pressing the flesh in crowds from Highland Park to West Hollywood.
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Now those nights feel like a last gasp before the music stopped.
On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom recommended that all gatherings of over 250 people should be canceled. The following day, Live Nation and AEG, North America’s largest concert promoters, announced that they were suspending all of their tours currently on the road, domestically and internationally.
The Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival was postponed until Oct. 9 and 16. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)
Andrew Odom is a member of the Los Angeles Nightlife Alliance, an activist group that works with nightlife promoters to improve venue safety. Usually, its work is more focused on things like fire prevention and training staff how to intervene in a suspected drug overdose. But coronavirus is a whole new worry, one that even seasoned promoters are trying to get a grasp on.
“Our community’s health and the health of our loved ones is paramount,” he said. “We recommend that we follow the social distancing guidelines that the state of California has issued, whether through limiting the size of events or postponing them all together.”
Government officials should also recognize that nightlife is a livelihood for many people, he added, and a particularly vulnerable one in this time. “Many within our community rely on nightlife as their sole source of income,” he said. “We also call on the state to provide assistance to members of the service community and to call for an end to any evictions during this crisis.”
On Tuesday, outside the longtime Hollywood club the Hotel Cafe, which serves as a hub for singer-songwriters, Alissa Torvinen and Jean Baptiste had just seen a set by Sunny Ozell. Both said that they were acutely aware of the virus’s spread.
“I’m a germaphobe, so this is hard,” Baptiste said.
Torvinen added that both she and Baptiste have become hyper-vigilant about cleanliness. “If we are eating, we wash before we eat. We both have these hospital wipes and we wipe down our phones and we wipe down our door handles after we wash our hands.”
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Asked if they’d be attending any big music events in coming months, both offered a firm no. “With situations where people are traveling in and out from different places, you can’t risk it,” Baptiste said.
Torvinen added that the day before she sent what she called “a DIY Purell kit” to her grandmother in Florida, who was braving the outbreak to see a concert by pop crooner Josh Groban.
But they still had a sense of humor about it all. Baptiste quipped that “I don’t think there’s going to be any coronavirus at a Josh Groban concert.”
Public health officials would probably disagree, though. As the week went on, the bad news rolled in. The NHL season was called off. Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson announced they’d contracted coronavirus. The U.S. government’s response felt less than reassuring to many people, to say the least. The jokes got harder to make.
L.A. concert industry professionals were particularly starting to feel nervous.
At the Brite Spot diner in Echo Park on Thursday morning, Phil Riehl was waiting for the call that might determine the rest of his year of work. He’s the stage manager for Bon Iver and Childish Gambino and has a European arena tour with Bon Iver planned for the spring.
For big tours, insurance would help cover some of the costs of any disruptions, he said. But for local clubs and their working-class venue staff, or for artists without the backing of big firms, the loss of tour dates could be a slow-rolling disaster for their livelihoods.
“It’s at the cusp of being a bigger worry. Big shows will have insurance, but for small clubs that need to keep their doors open, this is the last thing they need,” Riehl said. “Artists are responsible for a lot of people’s jobs. If shows start getting canceled, then tours get called off and the dominoes start to fall.”
He’d been helping friends find temporary work in clubs when their international tours were affected. But he understood the predicament that artists, managers and everyone else is in right now.
“A tour bus is like a cruise ship on wheels,” he said. “No one has experience dealing with a pandemic on tour. Do artists want to take that risk?”
Politics Trump coronavirus response puts administration weaknesses under harsh spotlight President Trump’s halting efforts to respond to the coronavirus crisis have spotlighted long-standing problems in his White House -- lack of expertise, sloppy staff work, poor execution -- that undermine his effectiveness.
Entertainment companies are trying to figure that out now. Kristen Jaconi, director of the risk management program at USC’s Marshall School of Business, expects the concert industry to be immediately affected by coronavirus.
“It’s going to have a significant economic impact on sectors like entertainment and travel, where it’s all about social cohesion and opposite of social distance,” she said.
She predicts that, as coronavirus roils social spaces, there will probably be at least a temporary shift to digital life and cocooning at home. For now, packed nightclubs may start to feel more dangerous than enticing.
“Companies will have to be inventive in moving things onto virtual spaces,” she said. “When you see a soccer game played with no fans, it’s eerie, but it might be state of play for the next few weeks.”
That reality hadn’t set in fully, though, this week. At the El Rey on Wednesday, as the dance-punk band the Rapture played the first of a three-night stand, 24-year-old Dana Salas of Alhambra tried to brush it off and cut some rug on the dance floor regardless.
“I’m not too afraid, it’s just a virus like the flu,” she said, echoing the low-key attitudes that a lot of fans — for better or worse — shared at nightclubs this week. “But seeing all these people in Alhambra with masks on scares me a bit.”
Sam Thorne, 24, from Pasadena was one of them. He had a face mask packed in his bag as he hung out on the El Rey’s smoking patio.
“We were just being goofy about it, but then we realized it might actually be a good idea,” he joked.
Coachella’s cancellation was the buzz in the room, and regulars were starting to make new plans for the spring. Kevin Costa, 35, had tickets to attend the festival next month, but he saw some silver linings to the postponement.
“Now it’ll just be less hot since it’s in October, so that’s cool,” he said, laughing. “It’s definitely a problem, but it doesn’t feel like that a big of a deal yet.”
As this scary, strange week ground on, music fans and venue owners were beginning to grasp the dark season ahead of them. Maybe younger fans were more blasé about it all, but at Pip’s on La Brea, a jazz club in Mid-City catering to a bit of an older audience, Curtis Mitchell was throwing his 60th birthday on the patio. He was ebullient about his party but very aware of the stakes.
The NBA season ending was a sign that coronavirus would truly start to affect daily life, he said. But in a way, that only made him more eager to be out with friends.
“You don’t see anybody here not hugging each other or enjoying life,” he said as he embraced friends passing by en route to the bar. “Being at home alone is kind of a prison.”
The club’s owner, Derrick Pipkin, agreed. Business hadn’t dropped off yet, he said, and his club was packed with dapper jazz fans dancing like any other night. But as they ordered drinks, their eyes were warily watching a TV behind the bar with a chyron scroll of bad news.
“The scariest thing is that I need people here,” he said. “Now more than ever, we need our neighborhood.”


latimes--2020-03-12--Emergency rooms bracing for explosion of coronavirus cases in coming weeks

Emergency room physicians nationwide are preparing for a surge in patients infected with the coronavirus , said Dr. William Jaquis , president of the American College of Emergency Physicians , in a call with reporters on Thursday .
“ COVID is very serious and we ’ re treating it as such , ” he said .
“ We understand this is going to be a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.
” Jaquis said case counts of COVID-19 in the United States are likely to explode in the coming weeks .
“ As testing increases , we ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to grow , ” he said .
“ Hopefully giving us a better idea of the true incidence of the disease , as well as the severity.
” UC Davis ER physician Dr. Aimee Moulin said doctors are typically dealing with high patient volumes this time of year , as it is flu season .
“ To some level , this is something that we are used to regularly dealing with and it is something we are trained to take care of , ” she said .
“ The big part we ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] volume and having the capacity to meet potential surges.
” Moulin said one of the biggest challenges is making sure they ’ re monitoring people who are tested and sent home while they await their results .
She said they have brought in a special infectious disease team to make sure those patients , who are asked to self-quarantine , are kept track of .
“ From our perspective in the ER , follow-up is a challenge for high- risk patients , ” she said .
California has recorded 198 cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up from 177 the day before , Gov .
Gavin Newsom announced .
California officials are calling for the with 250 or more people to slow the spread of the coronavirus , a decision that came hours after a new federal travel ban and the suspension of the .
The recommendations have the potential to touch virtually all corners of social life across the state : community meetings , sports events and school theater performances .

Emergency room physicians nationwide are preparing for a surge in patients infected with the coronavirus, said Dr. William Jaquis, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, in a call with reporters on Thursday.
“COVID is very serious and we’re treating it as such,” he said. “We understand this is going to be a fairly tremendous strain on our health system.”
Jaquis said case counts of COVID-19 in the United States are likely to explode in the coming weeks.
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“As testing increases, we’re going to see that number is going to grow,” he said. “Hopefully giving us a better idea of the true incidence of the disease, as well as the severity.”
UC Davis ER physician Dr. Aimee Moulin said doctors are typically dealing with high patient volumes this time of year, as it is flu season. “To some level, this is something that we are used to regularly dealing with and it is something we are trained to take care of,” she said.
“The big part we’re all concerned about is [patient] volume and having the capacity to meet potential surges.”
Moulin said one of the biggest challenges is making sure they’re monitoring people who are tested and sent home while they await their results.
She said they have brought in a special infectious disease team to make sure those patients, who are asked to self-quarantine, are kept track of.
“From our perspective in the ER, follow-up is a challenge for high- risk patients,” she said.
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California has recorded 198 cases of the new coronavirus as of Thursday, up from 177 the day before, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced.
California officials are calling for the cancellation of all gatherings with 250 or more people to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a decision that came hours after a new federal travel ban and the suspension of the NBA season .
The recommendations have the potential to touch virtually all corners of social life across the state: community meetings, sports events and school theater performances.


latimes--2020-03-12--Newsom issues order allowing California to take over hotels for coronavirus patients

California Gov .
Gavin Newsom released a sweeping executive order on Thursday that allows the state to commandeer hotels and medical facilities to treat coronavirus patients and permits government officials to hold teleconferences in private without violating open meeting laws .
Newsom issued the order hours after he called for the cancellation of gatherings of 250 or more people through the end of March , marking the first time he has applied so-called social distancing practices to the entire state of California .
“ This is where we need to go next , and to make sure we fully implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the spread to get through a peak and to get through the next few months , so we don ’ t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system , ” Newsom told reporters .
But as he used his executive powers to expand the state ’ s response to the outbreak and made unprecedented requests of its 50 million inhabitants , the first-term governor also faced questions about whether he was going far enough .
Newsom described the directive to cancel large-scale events across the state , which he also included in his executive order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its legal authority is limited .
He said he has the power to enforce closures , but did not think that would be necessary .
“ I see people doing the right thing , ” Newsom said .
“ Why take a step that ’ s unnecessary when people are naturally going to do the right thing ?
Many times , you don ’ t to penalize people or even threaten to penalize them when they say , ‘ Well , we ’ re happy to comply.
’ ” Theme parks , casinos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ congregate in close proximity — were exempted from Newsom ’ s directive .
“ The reason we didn ’ t do it was because the complexity of their unique circumstances , but I assure you we are moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution in those spaces , ” the governor said .
Shortly after his news conference concluded , Disney announced that its Disneyland and California Adventure parks would close to the public beginning Saturday until the end of March .
It ’ s unclear whether other amusement parks will follow suit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at ways to stagger seating to create distance between moviegoers , adjust show times and change line formations .
He offered little explanation for preventive measures at casinos , which are on tribal land .
While the state of New York sent the National Guard into the city of New Rochelle , a hot spot for the virus , Newsom has declined to call in military support to places such as Santa Clara County .
With 48 confirmed cases as of Thursday afternoon , the virus is not as advanced in the county @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which counted more than 100 cases when New York Gov .
Andrew Cuomo requested military intervention .
“ This is a dynamic process , but I can assure you we ’ re not there yet , ” Newsom said earlier this week .
“ Right now , we have no identified need to utilize them.
” The governor said 198 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in California of Thursday , marking a 10 % increase from just a day earlier .
The executive order will enhance the state ’ s ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
The order established a 60-day extension for people or businesses to file state taxes if they may be unable to do so because of the outbreak and requests from health officials .
It also allows the Employment Development Department to waive a one-week waiting period for people to apply for unemployment or disability insurance in relation to the virus .
Newsom ’ s action waives work hour limitations for Office of Emergency Services staff .
Under the order , the California Health and Human Services Agency and the Office of Emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to commandeer hotels and medical facilities to quarantine , isolate and treat COVID-19 patients or those who with a high risk of exposure , the order states .
When asked what residents should expect next , Newsom said it depends on how people respond to health guidelines and requests .
“ I continue to posit that it ’ s decisions , not conditions , that will determine our fate and future as it relates to COVID-19 , ” Newsom said .
“ We have agency .
We can change the future .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our individual decisions that we will determine the fate of this virus .
We will meet or not meet the moment .
I am confident we will meet the moment .
”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom released a sweeping executive order on Thursday that allows the state to commandeer hotels and medical facilities to treat coronavirus patients and permits government officials to hold teleconferences in private without violating open meeting laws.
Newsom issued the order hours after he called for the cancellation of gatherings of 250 or more people through the end of March, marking the first time he has applied so-called social distancing practices to the entire state of California.
“This is where we need to go next, and to make sure we fully implement those procedures and protocols to slow down the spread to get through a peak and to get through the next few months, so we don’t overwhelm our healthcare delivery system,” Newsom told reporters.
But as he used his executive powers to expand the state’s response to the outbreak and made unprecedented requests of its 40 million inhabitants, the first-term governor also faced questions about whether he was going far enough.
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Newsom described the directive to cancel large-scale events across the state, which he also included in his executive order, as “guidance” and said its legal authority is limited. He said he has the power to enforce closures, but did not think that would be necessary.
“I see people doing the right thing,” Newsom said. “Why take a step that’s unnecessary when people are naturally going to do the right thing? Many times, you don’t need to penalize people or even threaten to penalize them when they say, ‘Well, we’re happy to comply.’ ”
Theme parks, casinos and theaters — all places where people congregate in close proximity — were exempted from Newsom’s directive.
“The reason we didn’t do it was because the complexity of their unique circumstances, but I assure you we are moving quickly and effectively towards a resolution in those spaces,” the governor said.
Shortly after his news conference concluded, Disney announced that its Disneyland and California Adventure parks would close to the public beginning Saturday until the end of March. It’s unclear whether other amusement parks will follow suit.
The governor said theaters were looking at ways to stagger seating to create distance between moviegoers, adjust show times and change line formations. He offered little explanation for preventive measures at casinos, which are on tribal land.
While the state of New York sent the National Guard into the city of New Rochelle, a hot spot for the virus, Newsom has declined to call in military support to places such as Santa Clara County. With 48 confirmed cases as of Thursday afternoon, the virus is not as advanced in the county as it is in New Rochelle, which counted more than 100 cases when New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo requested military intervention.
“This is a dynamic process, but I can assure you we’re not there yet,” Newsom said earlier this week. “Right now, we have no identified need to utilize them.”
The governor said 198 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in California of Thursday, marking a 10% increase from just a day earlier. The executive order will enhance the state’s ability to fight the pandemic going forward, Newsom said.
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The order established a 60-day extension for people or businesses to file state taxes if they may be unable to do so because of the outbreak and requests from health officials. It also allows the Employment Development Department to waive a one-week waiting period for people to apply for unemployment or disability insurance in relation to the virus.
Newsom’s action waives work hour limitations for Office of Emergency Services staff and makes it easier to hire back retired employees who may be able to offer their expertise in a crisis. Under the order, the California Health and Human Services Agency and the Office of Emergency Services will be able to execute agreements to commandeer hotels, or medical facilities that are not in use, to quarantine, isolate and treat COVID-19 patients or those with a high risk of exposure, the order states.
The order also allows trained laboratory personnel to perform COVID-19 tests, which are ordinarily completed only by microbiologists.
California L.A. County reports new community-spread coronavirus cases as state total hits 198 As California called for a ban on gatherings of 250 or more people, Disneyland took the unprecedented action of announcing it will close the park through the end of the month.
When asked what residents should expect next, Newsom said it depends on how people respond to health guidelines and requests.
“I continue to posit that it’s decisions, not conditions, that will determine our fate and future as it relates to COVID-19,” Newsom said. “We have agency. We can change the future. So, it is in the sum total of our individual decisions that we will determine the fate of this virus. We will meet or not meet the moment. I am confident we will meet the moment.”


latimes--2020-03-12--Pasadena cancels 'nonessential' city events after resident tests positive for coronavirus

Pasadena city officials announced Thursday the city was canceling all of its “ nonessential ” city-sponsored events and activities until further notice after recording its first coronavirus case .
Nonessential events and activities would generally include recreational events and classes , census events , Community Police Academy Kids Safety Academy , PALS center activity , educational and cultural events .
and community excursions .
The city was not presently directing the cancellation of any events or activities sponsored by third parties , although the city said it was reaching out to those events ’ coordinators and providing current guidelines by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mass gatherings .
Those recommendations call for the cancellation of large gathering .
“ The strategy is presently to limit the opportunity for people to come into contact with one another so as to limit the extent to which the COVID-19 virus can spread , ” the city said .
Pasadena ’ s first case involved an individual “ known to have close contact with a confirmed case outside of Pasadena , and [ who ] has been in quarantine since the exposure occurred , ” the city said in a statement .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ who had come in close contact with the patient and who might be at risk of infection .
“ We have been preparing and are ready to manage COVID-19 cases in Pasadena , in close coordination with our healthcare partners , ” said Dr. Ying-Ying Goh , director of the Pasadena Public Health Department .
“ We will continue to recommend our community implement individual and community mitigation measures to reduce the risk of spread of illness .
”

Pasadena officials said they would cancel recreational events and classes and other activities.
Pasadena city officials announced Thursday the city was canceling all of its “nonessential” city-sponsored events and activities until further notice after recording its first coronavirus case.
Nonessential events and activities would generally include recreational events and classes, census events, Community Police Academy Kids Safety Academy, PALS center activity, educational and cultural events. and community excursions.
The city was not presently directing the cancellation of any events or activities sponsored by third parties, although the city said it was reaching out to those events’ coordinators and providing current guidelines by the California Department of Public Health regarding mass gatherings. Those recommendations call for the cancellation of large gathering.
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“The strategy is presently to limit the opportunity for people to come into contact with one another so as to limit the extent to which the COVID-19 virus can spread,” the city said.
Pasadena’s first confirmed coronavirus case involved an individual “known to have close contact with a confirmed case outside of Pasadena, and [who] has been in quarantine since the exposure occurred,” the city said in a statement.
Officials said they were working with others who had come in close contact with the patient and who might be at risk of infection.
“We have been preparing and are ready to manage COVID-19 cases in Pasadena, in close coordination with our healthcare partners,” said Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, director of the Pasadena Public Health Department. “We will continue to recommend our community implement individual and community mitigation measures to reduce the risk of spread of illness.”