latimes--2020-03-08--As coronavirus spreads, warnings become more urgent for the elderly and frail

As public health officials move to confront the coronavirus , they are targeting their most urgent messages to the elderly and frail who are at greatest risk from COVID-19 .
California officials have been urging that group to avoid large public gathering , travel and events .
The Santa Clara city library is canceling all programs for the upcoming week , and most programs at the senior center .
San Jose ’ s senior meals program will transition to a boxed to-go pick-up format .
“ If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition , if you get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trouble is considerable .
So it ’ s our responsibility to protect the vulnerable , ” said Dr. Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases , on NBC ’ s Meet the Press .
“ When I say protect , I mean right now .
Not wait until things get worse .
Say no large crowds , no long trips .
And above all , don ’ t get on a cruise ship.
” “ This will be a recommendation , ” Fauci added .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition , you need to think twice about getting on a plane , on a long trip .
And not only think twice , just don ’ t get on a cruise ship.
” Those at higher risk include those over the age of 70 and with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes , obesity , asthma , disease of the heart , lung or kidney and those with weakened immune systems .
If someone who falls in one of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is important to allow more time to treat the patient , which may include putting a patient on oxygen or , when necessary , a ventilator to help them breathe if their lungs begin to fail .
Last week , Santa Clara County public health officials urged seniors and those who are medically vulnerable to avoid large gatherings .
“ It is important to remember that , for about 80 % of the population , this disease will be mild .
While many persons in our community may get sick , the vast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are being used to protect those in our community who are likely at greatest risk for having severe disease , ” said George Han , the county ’ s deputy health officer .
Santa Clara officials say the risk of severe illness starts to increase at age 50 and grows with age .
The highest-risk group comprises people 80 and older .
Individuals with cardiovascular disease , diabetes , cancer or chronic lung diseases such as COPD are also at a higher risk , officials said .
A big concern is nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States have been centered .
“ If I were going to have a bunch of 90-year-olds at a birthday party , I probably wouldn ’ t have that many there — and I certainly wouldn ’ t have a lot of kids running around infecting them , ” said Dr. , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco .
Fears of the virus are well-founded when it comes to these high-risk groups , and efforts should be focused on “ keeping this virus away from nursing homes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t recover from this , ” said Dr. , emergency physician at Brigham and Women ’ s Hospital and an instructor at Harvard Medical School .

Rong-Gong Lin II, Laura King, Alene Tchekmedyian

Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla has a screening station in its lobby to check visitors for signs of fever or respiratory symptoms.
As public health officials move to confront the coronavirus, they are targeting their most urgent messages to the elderly and frail who are at greatest risk from COVID-19.
California officials have been urging that group to avoid large public gathering, travel and events. The Santa Clara city library is canceling all programs for the upcoming week, and most programs at the senior center. San Jose’s senior meals program will transition to a boxed to-go pick-up format.
On Sunday, federal officials reiterated that message.
“If you are an elderly person with an underlying condition, if you get infected, the risk of getting into trouble is considerable. So it’s our responsibility to protect the vulnerable,” said Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, on NBC’s Meet the Press. “When I say protect, I mean right now. Not wait until things get worse. Say no large crowds, no long trips. And above all, don’t get on a cruise ship.”
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“This will be a recommendation,” Fauci added. “If you’re a person with an underlying condition and you are particularly an elderly person with an underlying condition, you need to think twice about getting on a plane, on a long trip. And not only think twice, just don’t get on a cruise ship.”
Those at higher risk include those over the age of 70 and with underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, obesity, asthma, disease of the heart, lung or kidney and those with weakened immune systems. If someone who falls in one of these categories does get sick, early diagnosis is important to allow more time to treat the patient, which may include putting a patient on oxygen or, when necessary, a ventilator to help them breathe if their lungs begin to fail.
Last week, Santa Clara County public health officials urged seniors and those who are medically vulnerable to avoid large gatherings.
“It is important to remember that, for about 80% of the population, this disease will be mild. While many persons in our community may get sick, the vast majority will recover. The added measures are being used to protect those in our community who are likely at greatest risk for having severe disease,” said George Han, the county’s deputy health officer.
Santa Clara officials say the risk of severe illness starts to increase at age 50 and grows with age. The highest-risk group comprises people 80 and older. Individuals with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer or chronic lung diseases such as COPD are also at a higher risk, officials said.
A big concern is nursing homes, where many of the deaths in the United States have been centered.
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“If I were going to have a bunch of 90-year-olds at a birthday party, I probably wouldn’t have that many there — and I certainly wouldn’t have a lot of kids running around infecting them,” said Dr. George Rutherford , an epidemiologist and infectious disease expert at UC San Francisco.


latimes--2020-03-08--Northern California's largest school district cancels classes amid coronavirus fears

The largest school district in Northern California , the Elk Grove Unified School District , canceled classes and sports games through Friday after a family associated with the Elk Grove Unified School District was exposed to the new coronavirus and placed on quarantine to see if they were infected with coronavirus and would get sick .
All school activities were also canceled , though officials stressed there were no confirmed cases linked to the school .
The move comes as schools across California are responding to coronavirus .
Murrieta school officials said 71 students have been placed in self-quarantine after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
The employee had where the coronavirus was spreading , according to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District , which said Murrieta Valley High School would be closed Monday and cleaned .
Stanford University said Friday night that it will for the final two weeks of the winter quarter .
Stanford also said large events would be “ canceled or adjusted.
” USC said Friday that it would conduct lectures and seminars online rather than in classrooms for three days next week as a test should it be forced to suspend in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ High School announced it would close and cancel events and gatherings for at least the rest of the week after it was learned that a relative of one of its students is being treated for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the coronavirus .
In San Jose , a preschool after a teacher tested positive for the virus .
An Oakland charter school was closed through the end of the week because of a possible , and an exclusive private school in Atherton will be closed through the weekend after a potential exposure @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Rong-Gong Lin II, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde

Joshua Guyton, in face mask as a precautionary measure, arrives on Thursday at Clifton Middle School in Monrovia, which was open after crews performed a deep cleaning overnight after a parent came in contact with someone exposed to the novel coronavirus.
The largest school district in Northern California, the Elk Grove Unified School District, canceled classes and sports games through Friday after a family associated with the Elk Grove Unified School District was exposed to the new coronavirus and placed on quarantine to see if they were infected with coronavirus and would get sick.
All school activities were also canceled, though officials stressed there were no confirmed cases linked to the school.
The move comes as schools across California are responding to coronavirus.
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Murrieta school officials said 71 students have been placed in self-quarantine after a school employee was tested for the coronavirus.
The employee had recently been to a country where the coronavirus was spreading, according to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District, which said Murrieta Valley High School would be closed Monday and cleaned.
Stanford University said Friday night that it will move classes online for the final two weeks of the winter quarter. Stanford also said large events would be “canceled or adjusted.”
USC said Friday that it would conduct lectures and seminars online rather than in classrooms for three days next week as a test should it be forced to suspend in-person contact.
San Francisco’s Lowell High School announced it would close and cancel events and gatherings for at least the rest of the week after it was learned that a relative of one of its students is being treated for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.


latimes--2020-03-08--After whirlwind week, D.A. Jackie Lacey has an election, and a family matter, hanging in the balance

The day before an election framed in part around her perceived refusal to prosecute police officers for using unjust force , images of Los Angeles County Dist .
Atty .
Jackie Lacey ’ s husband pointing a gun at unarmed protesters spread rapidly across news websites and television stations .
The confrontation was the final flare-up of a tense primary that had been marked by a contentious debate interrupted by protesters and pointed attacks between Lacey and her chief rivals over how the nation ’ s largest prosecutor ’ s office should be run .
By week ’ s end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vote hovered just below the 50 % plus one she needs to avoid a runoff .
As L.A. County waits to see if she can clinch a third term , debates have sprung up among Lacey ’ s supporters and critics about whether or not the gun incident helped her at the polls , what consequences her husband might face and whether protesters went too far in picketing her home .
On Friday , longtime South L.A. activist Najee Ali held a press conference blasting Black Lives Matter leader Melina Abdullah for her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claiming the protest might help Lacey win reelection .
Earlier in the week , he published a column in the Los Angeles Wave calling the protest “ one of the dumbest and [ most ] irresponsible acts of activism in Los Angeles history.
” “ Everybody is saying the same thing , that it helped folks come out for Lacey and support Lacey ’ cause culturally , especially black men , we identify with having the right to protect our wives , children and families at our home , ” Ali said in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up in the air .
There are roughly 678,000 votes left to tally , according to the L.A. County registrar .
Though Lacey jumped out to a significant advantage among early mail-in ballots , her lead has slipped with almost every updated set of returns .
Several voters The Times spoke to Tuesday said the incident at Lacey ’ s home actually motivated them to vote for one of her challengers .
Former San Francisco Dist .
Atty .
George Gascón had climbed to a 27 % share of the vote as of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defender Rachel Rossi has remained around 22 % .
The legality of David Lacey ’ s actions remains unclear and the subject of an LAPD investigation , which Police Chief Michel Moore said is moving slowly due to a lack of cooperation from the potential victims .
Many activists have questioned why the LAPD did not immediately arrest David Lacey when he pointed a weapon at Abdullah and two others outside the couple ’ s Granada Hills home .
Moore , however , said none of the protesters have spoken with investigators .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ LAPD ’ s Robbery-Homicide Division and will eventually be referred to the California attorney general ’ s office for possible prosecution .
“ We need their participation , ” Moore said .
“ Our efforts to identify those involved and interview them has not been successful , other than we have identified individuals by their accounts on social media.
” In a video posted by Abdullah and viewed nearly 760,000 times on Twitter , David Lacey can be seen leaning through his doorway holding a handgun , his finger wrapped around the trigger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he says .
“ Get off my porch.
” The demonstrators can not be seen in the video .
Abdullah said about 30 people arrived at Jackie Lacey ’ s home before dawn to protest what they contend is her refusal to meet with activists and relatives of people killed in police shootings .
Abdullah confirmed she had yet to speak with Los Angeles Police Department investigators and questioned the sincerity of their review of David Lacey ’ s conduct .
“ There was a card left at my home .
My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t know if they ’ re reaching out to me to try to make an arrest of him , or if they are trying to intimidate me .
I don ’ t know what they ’ re attempting to accomplish , ” she said .
“ They have a phone number for me , it would be very easy to reach out.
” She also dismissed Ali ’ s criticisms , asserting that picketing Jackie Lacey ’ s home was a last resort .
“ As she runs for a third @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she is held accountable , ” Abdullah said .
“ Demonstrating at the homes of public officials is a tried and true strategy employed by groups ranging from labor unions to students.
” Abdullah ’ s relationship with the LAPD grew worse last year when the city tried to prosecute her on multiple criminal counts for actions she had taken at meetings of the city Police Commission , where she is often a critical voice .
The Los Angeles city attorney ’ s office dropped all charges after protesters repeatedly packed downtown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the LAPD investigation is currently focused “ primarily [ on ] an individual armed with a handgun and his actions at that doorway.
” While the protesters ’ actions could be considered mitigating factors , Moore did not say Abdullah or any other demonstrators were the subject of the criminal investigation .
David Lacey declined to comment through a representative for his wife ’ s reelection campaign .
Both the campaign and a spokeswoman for the district attorney ’ s office declined to identify his lawyer .
Laurie Levenson , a Loyola @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said a decision to charge David Lacey will depend on whether he had a genuine reason to fear for his wife ’ s safety or his own .
“ You don ’ t have to be right in self-defense .
You only have to be reasonable , ” she said .
“ It may be that he really wasn ’ t at any risk at all , but it ’ s hard when the adrenaline is pumping , and you ’ re in your home and you ’ re scared , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of facts weigh against him , she said .
David Lacey had no reason to open the door , and the police were on the way , said Levenson , who also noted there has been no indication the protesters were armed .
The fact that threats had been made against the district attorney during the election , however , could weigh in her husband ’ s favor when it comes to a charging decision , Levenson said .
During a Monday news conference , Jackie Lacey said she had received “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” while in office , but did not elaborate .
Shiara Davila-Morales , a spokeswoman for the district attorney ’ s office , later confirmed Lacey had received “ numerous documented threats … including a death threat ” in recent weeks .
Davila-Morales said the death threat was referred to an outside law enforcement agency but declined to identify the agency or provide details about the threat .
Late Friday , the Long Beach Police Department confirmed that the district attorney ’ s office notified police of a threat made against Lacey on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Investigators with the department ’ s mental health unit identified the person , a 41-year-old Long Beach resident , and took him into custody without incident .
“ The subject admitted to making the threat and after discussing the facts with the victim , it was determined that the most appropriate course of action was to release him to the care of a local hospital for further evaluation , ” the department said in a statement .
Investigators “ do not believe the suspect intended to carry out the reported threat.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the district attorney ’ s office who is part of Lacey ’ s security detail , said Friday the Long Beach man ’ s threat was deemed “ credible ” because he was a registered sex offender who had previously been convicted of a violent felony .
Though that incident was the lone specific death threat received during the election cycle , Henry said threats with various forms of hostile language , including claims people would deliver “ their own kind of justice ” to Lacey , had become more frequent as the @ @ @ @

L.A. County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s week started with her husband pointing a gun at unarmed protesters. It ended with her reelection bid still up in the air.
The day before an election framed in part around her perceived refusal to prosecute police officers for using unjust force, images of Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s husband pointing a gun at unarmed protesters spread rapidly across news websites and television stations.
The confrontation was the final flare-up of a tense primary that had been marked by a contentious debate interrupted by protesters and pointed attacks between Lacey and her chief rivals over how the nation’s largest prosecutor’s office should be run.
By week’s end, Lacey’s share of the vote hovered just below the 50% plus one she needs to avoid a runoff. As L.A. County waits to see if she can clinch a third term, debates have sprung up among Lacey’s supporters and critics about whether or not the gun incident helped her at the polls, what consequences her husband might face and whether protesters went too far in picketing her home.
On Friday, longtime South L.A. activist Najee Ali held a press conference blasting Black Lives Matter leader Melina Abdullah for her actions at Lacey’s home while claiming the protest might help Lacey win reelection. Earlier in the week, he published a column in the Los Angeles Wave calling the protest “one of the dumbest and [most] irresponsible acts of activism in Los Angeles history.”
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“Everybody is saying the same thing, that it helped folks come out for Lacey and support Lacey ’cause culturally, especially black men, we identify with having the right to protect our wives, children and families at our home,” Ali said in a separate interview.
The primary remains up in the air. There are roughly 678,000 votes left to tally, according to the L.A. County registrar. Though Lacey jumped out to a significant advantage among early mail-in ballots, her lead has slipped with almost every updated set of returns.
Several voters The Times spoke to Tuesday said the incident at Lacey’s home actually motivated them to vote for one of her challengers. Former San Francisco Dist. Atty. George Gascón had climbed to a 27% share of the vote as of the last tally, while former public defender Rachel Rossi has remained around 22%.
The legality of David Lacey’s actions remains unclear and the subject of an LAPD investigation, which Police Chief Michel Moore said is moving slowly due to a lack of cooperation from the potential victims.
Many activists have questioned why the LAPD did not immediately arrest David Lacey when he pointed a weapon at Abdullah and two others outside the couple’s Granada Hills home. Moore, however, said none of the protesters have spoken with investigators. The case remains under review by the LAPD’s Robbery-Homicide Division and will eventually be referred to the California attorney general’s office for possible prosecution.
“We need their participation,” Moore said. “Our efforts to identify those involved and interview them has not been successful, other than we have identified individuals by their accounts on social media.”
An image provided by Dahlia Ferlito shows Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey’s husband, David Lacey, pointing a gun at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home on Monday.
(Associated Press)
In a video posted by Abdullah and viewed nearly 760,000 times on Twitter, David Lacey can be seen leaning through his doorway holding a handgun, his finger wrapped around the trigger.
“I will shoot you,” he says. “Get off my porch.”
The demonstrators cannot be seen in the video. Abdullah said about 30 people arrived at Jackie Lacey’s home before dawn to protest what they contend is her refusal to meet with activists and relatives of people killed in police shootings.
Abdullah confirmed she had yet to speak with Los Angeles Police Department investigators and questioned the sincerity of their review of David Lacey’s conduct.
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“There was a card left at my home. My lawyer responded to the card. I don’t know if they’re reaching out to me to try to make an arrest of him, or if they are trying to intimidate me. I don’t know what they’re attempting to accomplish,” she said. “They have a phone number for me, it would be very easy to reach out.”
She also dismissed Ali’s criticisms, asserting that picketing Jackie Lacey’s home was a last resort.
“As she runs for a third term in office, it becomes imperative that she is held accountable,” Abdullah said. “Demonstrating at the homes of public officials is a tried and true strategy employed by groups ranging from labor unions to students.”
Abdullah’s relationship with the LAPD grew worse last year when the city tried to prosecute her on multiple criminal counts for actions she had taken at meetings of the city Police Commission, where she is often a critical voice. The Los Angeles city attorney’s office dropped all charges after protesters repeatedly packed downtown courtrooms in support of Abdullah.
Moore said the LAPD investigation is currently focused “primarily [on] an individual armed with a handgun and his actions at that doorway.” While the protesters’ actions could be considered mitigating factors, Moore did not say Abdullah or any other demonstrators were the subject of the criminal investigation.
David Lacey declined to comment through a representative for his wife’s reelection campaign. Both the campaign and a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office declined to identify his lawyer.
Laurie Levenson, a Loyola Law School professor and former federal prosecutor, said a decision to charge David Lacey will depend on whether he had a genuine reason to fear for his wife’s safety or his own.
“You don’t have to be right in self-defense. You only have to be reasonable,” she said. “It may be that he really wasn’t at any risk at all, but it’s hard when the adrenaline is pumping, and you’re in your home and you’re scared, to make an absolutely rational decision.”
A number of facts weigh against him, she said. David Lacey had no reason to open the door, and the police were on the way, said Levenson, who also noted there has been no indication the protesters were armed. The fact that threats had been made against the district attorney during the election, however, could weigh in her husband’s favor when it comes to a charging decision, Levenson said.
During a Monday news conference, Jackie Lacey said she had received “threats, some of them death threats” while in office, but did not elaborate.
Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, later confirmed Lacey had received “numerous documented threats … including a death threat” in recent weeks. Davila-Morales said the death threat was referred to an outside law enforcement agency but declined to identify the agency or provide details about the threat.
Late Friday, the Long Beach Police Department confirmed that the district attorney’s office notified police of a threat made against Lacey on “an online platform” in February.
Investigators with the department’s mental health unit identified the person, a 41-year-old Long Beach resident, and took him into custody without incident.
“The subject admitted to making the threat and after discussing the facts with the victim, it was determined that the most appropriate course of action was to release him to the care of a local hospital for further evaluation,” the department said in a statement. Investigators “do not believe the suspect intended to carry out the reported threat.”
Joe Henry, a senior investigator with the district attorney’s office who is part of Lacey’s security detail, said Friday the Long Beach man’s threat was deemed “credible” because he was a registered sex offender who had previously been convicted of a violent felony.
Though that incident was the lone specific death threat received during the election cycle, Henry said threats with various forms of hostile language, including claims people would deliver “their own kind of justice” to Lacey, had become more frequent as the primary heated up.
Times staff writer Leila Miller contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-03-08--Religion copes with fear of coronavirus spread

At St. Frances X. Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Yucaipa , Calif. , the holy water fonts have been left dry .
Parishioners must now bring their own water and ask the priest to bless it .
Congregants at the IKAR Jewish synagogue will now get their Saturday communal meals not by preparing their own plates , but courtesy of gloved workers .
At the Islamic Center of Southern California near Koreatown , the faithful are being encouraged to avoid greeting one another with embraces and handshakes .
Because worship involves contact not only with other people but with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sick are being asked to pray at home .
In places of worship , across various faiths and religious denominations , rituals and practices are being tweaked to adapt to the outbreak of a disease that thrives on nothing more than close human contact .
Religious communities built on the idea of gathering , celebrating , greeting , grieving and praying in a spirit of togetherness find themselves trying to create distance to fend off the spread of illness .
Across California , more than 80 people have been infected with the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been at least 381 confirmed cases , with most centered in Washington state , where 108 people have tested positive and 16 have died .
More than 100,000 people have become infected worldwide , according to the World Health Organization .
On Friday , the Los Angeles Archdiocese recommended a halt to the use of cups of wine for Communion and urged draining holy water fonts that did not include a filtration system .
The archdiocese also asked churchgoers to accept the Communion wafer in their hand , instead of directly in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or holding hands .
At the San Gabriel Mission , about 40 participants in Thursday morning ’ s Vietnamese-language Mass said hello through bows — avoiding any hugs and kisses .
After the service , they gathered to eat kung pao chicken and shrimp and white rice to bid farewell to a visiting priest , Joseph Ngo Van Lang , who would leave that night for the Philippines .
“ We can not hug , so we bow and wave , ” said Catherine Pham , 60 , of San Gabriel .
Within @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wednesday evening , 62-year-old Ahmed Nettabai greeted fellow worshipers with hugs , laughs , pats on the back and handshakes .
The Santa Monica resident had arrived to attend sunset prayer , known as Maghrib .
On Feb. 27 , the center emailed members with precautions to take because of the coronavirus .
It included links to Los Angeles County ’ s public health department , which has developed an action plan to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection , including washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including some of the very things that Nettabai did the moment he showed up for worship .
“ I ’ ve been hugging people since I was a boy , ” he said .
“ It ’ s difficult to change.
” Islamic Center spokesman Omar Ricci , 51 , said it was understandably difficult to forgo certain gestures , even if it is — as hoped — a temporary measure .
“ There ’ s almost a muscle memory to extend your hand and shake , ” he said .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doing that.
” Islamic Center assistant manager Osamah Bin-Mahfouz , 27 , said many devout Muslims wash their hands , arms , nose , face , head , feet and ankles before each of the five daily prayers , or Salat .
“ We ’ re a little ahead of others , ” he said , pointing to mounted hand sanitizers and bottles of Purell placed around the center .
Friday afternoon ’ s Jum ’ ah , or congregational prayer , draws crowds in the hundreds and the center is advising those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s the same message being delivered at the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove .
There , religious director Muzammil Siddiqi has told people to follow the health advisories issued by the county or state .
Orange County declared a local health emergency in regard to the novel coronavirus on Feb. 26 .
“ It is advised to all people that if you are not feeling well , don ’ t come , ” Siddiqi said .
“ You can do your daily prayer at home.
” Siddiqi estimates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daily prayer and 500 to 1,000 for Friday afternoon prayer .
Additional hand sanitizers have been installed around the mosque .
Meanwhile , Catholic churches in the Diocese of San Bernardino , which covers about 1.6 million followers in San Bernardino and Riverside counties , including those at St. Frances X. Cabrini , have been discarding holy water .
The small fonts or containers usually found at the entrance of a church or chapel will not be filled , nor will the larger baptismal fonts , officials say .
“ We are discontinuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Andrews , media director for the diocese .
“ People dip their fingers in it and that ’ s one way infection or a virus can be spread.
” The diocese directive issued earlier this week included an end to full-immersion baptisms , which Andrews said is uncommon .
There was also a call for “ enhanced janitorial protections ” that included a one-time “ deep cleaning ” of parishes , schools and kitchens .
The decree came on the heels of optional liturgical restrictions issued Feb. 28 by the office of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ encouraged not to hold or shake hands during Mass .
Parishioners were also asked not to drink from the cup of consecrated wine and to receive Communion wafers with their hands and not their mouths .
Andrews said there has been some pushback from parishioners .
“ Ever since we ’ ve put this out we ’ ve had some people contact us and say , ‘ You can ’ t tell me that I can ’ t have Communion on the tongue , ’ and they ’ re correct about that , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just done to protect them.
” Though parishioners may think some of the steps are drastic , Sean Dempsey , a Jesuit priest and assistant professor of history at Loyola Marymount University , said the Catholic Church took even more dramatic steps in the past to deal with dangerous diseases .
During the 1918-19 Spanish flu , 50 million people died worldwide , nearly 700,000 in the United States .
Dempsey said the Archdiocese of Philadelphia worked with that city ’ s health department and shut down all services and classes .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makeshift hospitals and medical wards , while clergy aided in health efforts .
Actions taken by religious institutions , including the Catholic Church , are less extreme now than during past outbreaks , such as the Great Plague of the 14th century , because diseases are much better understood now .
“ The germ theory of disease has only really been around for a couple hundred years , ” Dempsey said .
“ So , prior to that , people identified cities and regions as ‘ being ill ’ and quarantined towns , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Thursday , Bishop John Taylor of the Episcopal Church of Los Angeles issued a directive to all churches and schools in the Los Angeles Diocese to stop passing the Communion cup .
“ Communion wine may not be offered in our churches … until we can be confident that the danger of mass COVID-19 infections has abated , ” Taylor wrote .
Taylor also asked congregants to avoid hugging and handshakes and offer bows and elbow or fist bumps as alternatives .
Religious institutions have also been urging followers to not give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a Los Angeles-area resident bishop with the United Methodist Church , issued a statement Feb. 28 asking members of the roughly 350 churches that span the Los Angeles region to avoid scapegoating or blaming Asians for the spread of the coronavirus .
Within the church , there have been no changes to Communion .
But Hagiya asked those who develop flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention , others to stay home if they ’ re feeling ill , and everyone to wash hands often and sanitize frequently touched surfaces .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hacienda Heights , gatherings are being limited .
Tours of the 15-acre hillside Buddhist monastery have also been eliminated .
To cut down on visits , the temple is offering its traditional Sunday Dharma service online along with classes that can be found on its website .
“ We will bring back the tours when we feel it ’ s safe and the danger has passed , ” said spokeswoman Venerable Zhixing Shih .
“ We , like others , want our visitors to feel connected and safe.
” The IKAR Jewish community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re trying to really balance keeping everyone safe , but also keeping them prepared and making sure they don ’ t panic , ” said IKAR Chief Executive Melissa Balaban .
“ We ’ re taking precautions and changing the way we do a few things.
” Balaban emailed guidelines to congregants on Feb. 28 , asking them to follow common practices for avoiding the spread of disease , such as washing hands and avoiding touching one ’ s face .
But Balaban said the harder directive has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as embracing .
“ Our community hugs and kisses , and last week I announced we were going to try to minimize physical contact with one another , ” Rabbi Sharon Brous said .
That was easier said than done , she said .
“ People struggled to stop , ” Brous said .
“ We realized we had to replace it with something.
” The community developed the “ IKAR Hug , ” which Brous said involves “ putting two hands to the chest and slightly bowing as a gesture of welcoming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has about 800 families , has also changed the way Saturday ’ s post-service meal is served .
In the past , congregants would help themselves to buffet-style dining .
Now , Balaban said , gloved staffers or volunteers will serve plates .
This would limit the number of hands touching dishes , food and utensils , she said .
“ We ’ re not panicking here , ” Balaban said .
“ We ’ re just changing with the times .
”

Maminul Haque greets Munem Uddin as Abdul Rauf Islam, left, looks on at the Islamic Center of Southern California. The center has issued precautionary measures for its congregants in response to the coronavirus.
At St. Frances X. Cabrini Roman Catholic Church in Yucaipa, Calif., the holy water fonts have been left dry. Parishioners must now bring their own water and ask the priest to bless it.
Congregants at the IKAR Jewish synagogue will now get their Saturday communal meals not by preparing their own plates, but courtesy of gloved workers.
At the Islamic Center of Southern California near Koreatown, the faithful are being encouraged to avoid greeting one another with embraces and handshakes. Because worship involves contact not only with other people but with the carpet when bowing toward Mecca, the sick are being asked to pray at home.
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In places of worship, across various faiths and religious denominations, rituals and practices are being tweaked to adapt to the outbreak of a disease that thrives on nothing more than close human contact. Religious communities built on the idea of gathering, celebrating, greeting, grieving and praying in a spirit of togetherness find themselves trying to create distance to fend off the spread of illness.
Across California, more than 80 people have been infected with the coronavirus. In the U.S., there have been at least 381 confirmed cases, with most centered in Washington state, where 108 people have tested positive and 16 have died. More than 100,000 people have become infected worldwide, according to the World Health Organization.
On Friday, the Los Angeles Archdiocese recommended a halt to the use of cups of wine for Communion and urged draining holy water fonts that did not include a filtration system. The archdiocese also asked churchgoers to accept the Communion wafer in their hand, instead of directly in the mouth, and to refrain from shaking or holding hands.
At the San Gabriel Mission, about 40 participants in Thursday morning’s Vietnamese-language Mass said hello through bows — avoiding any hugs and kisses.
After the service, they gathered to eat kung pao chicken and shrimp and white rice to bid farewell to a visiting priest, Joseph Ngo Van Lang, who would leave that night for the Philippines.
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“We cannot hug, so we bow and wave,” said Catherine Pham, 60, of San Gabriel.
Within seconds of entering the Islamic Center on Wednesday evening, 62-year-old Ahmed Nettabai greeted fellow worshipers with hugs, laughs, pats on the back and handshakes. The Santa Monica resident had arrived to attend sunset prayer, known as Maghrib.
On Feb. 27, the center emailed members with precautions to take because of the coronavirus. It included links to Los Angeles County’s public health department, which has developed an action plan to minimize the risk of COVID-19 infection, including washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds. But the Islamic Center also encouraged avoiding certain practices, including some of the very things that Nettabai did the moment he showed up for worship.
“I’ve been hugging people since I was a boy,” he said. “It’s difficult to change.”
Islamic Center spokesman Omar Ricci, 51, said it was understandably difficult to forgo certain gestures, even if it is — as hoped — a temporary measure.
“There’s almost a muscle memory to extend your hand and shake,” he said. “You have to sort of catch yourself doing that.”
Islamic Center assistant manager Osamah Bin-Mahfouz, 27, said many devout Muslims wash their hands, arms, nose, face, head, feet and ankles before each of the five daily prayers, or Salat.
“We’re a little ahead of others,” he said, pointing to mounted hand sanitizers and bottles of Purell placed around the center.
Friday afternoon’s Jum’ah, or congregational prayer, draws crowds in the hundreds and the center is advising those who feel ill to stay home. It’s the same message being delivered at the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove.
There, religious director Muzammil Siddiqi has told people to follow the health advisories issued by the county or state. Orange County declared a local health emergency in regard to the novel coronavirus on Feb. 26.
“It is advised to all people that if you are not feeling well, don’t come,” Siddiqi said. “You can do your daily prayer at home.”
Siddiqi estimates the mosque welcomes about 300 people for daily prayer and 500 to 1,000 for Friday afternoon prayer. Additional hand sanitizers have been installed around the mosque.
Meanwhile, Catholic churches in the Diocese of San Bernardino, which covers about 1.6 million followers in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, including those at St. Frances X. Cabrini, have been discarding holy water.
Osama Bin-Mahfouz, 27, washes himself before evening prayers at the Islamic Center of Southern California. The ICSC has issued precautionary measures for its congregants in response to the coronavirus. that includes a handshake, a hug, and a kiss on the cheek be avoided. The center believes it “may be worth avoiding touching” and that a hand on the heart, a respectful nod, and a warm smile are preferred. The center is asking sick members of faith to stay home and avoid Friday’s traditional Jumma prayer. They are also asking that sick children at the center’s New Horizon School system and Sunday School be kept home. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The small fonts or containers usually found at the entrance of a church or chapel will not be filled, nor will the larger baptismal fonts, officials say.
“We are discontinuing that for now,” said John Andrews, media director for the diocese. “People dip their fingers in it and that’s one way infection or a virus can be spread.”
The diocese directive issued earlier this week included an end to full-immersion baptisms, which Andrews said is uncommon. There was also a call for “enhanced janitorial protections” that included a one-time “deep cleaning” of parishes, schools and kitchens.
The decree came on the heels of optional liturgical restrictions issued Feb. 28 by the office of the vicar general, in which churchgoers were encouraged not to hold or shake hands during Mass. Parishioners were also asked not to drink from the cup of consecrated wine and to receive Communion wafers with their hands and not their mouths.
Andrews said there has been some pushback from parishioners.
“Ever since we’ve put this out we’ve had some people contact us and say, ‘You can’t tell me that I can’t have Communion on the tongue,’ and they’re correct about that,” Andrews said. “This is just done to protect them.”
Though parishioners may think some of the steps are drastic, Sean Dempsey, a Jesuit priest and assistant professor of history at Loyola Marymount University, said the Catholic Church took even more dramatic steps in the past to deal with dangerous diseases.
During the 1918-19 Spanish flu, 50 million people died worldwide, nearly 700,000 in the United States. Dempsey said the Archdiocese of Philadelphia worked with that city’s health department and shut down all services and classes.
The vacant schools and churches were converted into makeshift hospitals and medical wards, while clergy aided in health efforts. Actions taken by religious institutions, including the Catholic Church, are less extreme now than during past outbreaks, such as the Great Plague of the 14th century, because diseases are much better understood now.
“The germ theory of disease has only really been around for a couple hundred years,” Dempsey said. “So, prior to that, people identified cities and regions as ‘being ill’ and quarantined towns, which led to catastrophic mortality rates.”
“We’re not panicking here. We’re just changing with the times.” — IKAR Jewish Community CEO Melissa Balaban
On Thursday, Bishop John Taylor of the Episcopal Church of Los Angeles issued a directive to all churches and schools in the Los Angeles Diocese to stop passing the Communion cup.
“Communion wine may not be offered in our churches … until we can be confident that the danger of mass COVID-19 infections has abated,” Taylor wrote.
Taylor also asked congregants to avoid hugging and handshakes and offer bows and elbow or fist bumps as alternatives.
Religious institutions have also been urging followers to not give in to prejudice.
Grant J. Hagiya, a Los Angeles-area resident bishop with the United Methodist Church, issued a statement Feb. 28 asking members of the roughly 350 churches that span the Los Angeles region to avoid scapegoating or blaming Asians for the spread of the coronavirus.
Within the church, there have been no changes to Communion. But Hagiya asked those who develop flu-like symptoms to seek medical attention, others to stay home if they’re feeling ill, and everyone to wash hands often and sanitize frequently touched surfaces.
At the Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple in Hacienda Heights, gatherings are being limited. Tours of the 15-acre hillside Buddhist monastery have also been eliminated.
To cut down on visits, the temple is offering its traditional Sunday Dharma service online along with classes that can be found on its website.
“We will bring back the tours when we feel it’s safe and the danger has passed,” said spokeswoman Venerable Zhixing Shih. “We, like others, want our visitors to feel connected and safe.”
The IKAR Jewish community and synagogue have focused on staying calm.
“We’re trying to really balance keeping everyone safe, but also keeping them prepared and making sure they don’t panic,” said IKAR Chief Executive Melissa Balaban. “We’re taking precautions and changing the way we do a few things.”
Balaban emailed guidelines to congregants on Feb. 28, asking them to follow common practices for avoiding the spread of disease, such as washing hands and avoiding touching one’s face.
But Balaban said the harder directive has been to ask people to avoid things such as embracing.
“Our community hugs and kisses, and last week I announced we were going to try to minimize physical contact with one another,” Rabbi Sharon Brous said.
That was easier said than done, she said.
“People struggled to stop,” Brous said. “We realized we had to replace it with something.”
The community developed the “IKAR Hug,” which Brous said involves “putting two hands to the chest and slightly bowing as a gesture of welcoming somebody with love.”
The synagogue, which has about 800 families, has also changed the way Saturday’s post-service meal is served.
In the past, congregants would help themselves to buffet-style dining. Now, Balaban said, gloved staffers or volunteers will serve plates. This would limit the number of hands touching dishes, food and utensils, she said.
“We’re not panicking here,” Balaban said. “We’re just changing with the times.”


latimes--2020-03-08--'We're past the point of containment': Coronavirus fight enters new phase

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

Anita Chabria, Laura King, Andrew J. Campa, Alex Wigglesworth

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


latimes--2020-03-09--Grand Princess passengers finally about to dock. Here's why officials picked Oakland

Passengers confined to their cabins on the Grand Princess cruise ship off the Northern California coast learned Sunday that their week of limbo induced by a COVID-19 outbreak is set to end , as federal and state officials announced a plan to dock at a commercial cargo port in Oakland .
All 2,500 passengers and those in need of immediate medical care will get off the ship Monday to be assessed for either transfer to treatment at regional medical facilities or quarantine at state military bases , while foreigners will be repatriated to their home countries , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a news conference in Oakland on Sunday that the disembarkation and transfer of passengers would take up to three days .
But he warned that the situation was “ fluid ” and could take longer , in part because the port does not regularly deal with cruise ships , and tides and currents allowed only small windows of time to enter and leave .
When finished , the Grand Princess would sail out of San Francisco Bay , he said , with the remaining 1,094 crew members — mostly foreign nationals — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next to Newsom , Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf sought to assure city residents and port workers that officials were taking every precaution to protect them from infection using “ best isolation practices.
” “ I ’ ve been clear with our state and federal partners , ” she said , “ this is a community that has suffered decades of environmental racism and injustice.
” But she added : “ We have to not let our fears dictate or impede our humanity.
” Newsom said authorities had assessed numerous ports , and initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former Naval Air Station Alameda .
But “ silting issues ” made it hazardous for the large ship to land there , he said , and San Francisco ’ s port was too close to residential and tourist zones .
The federal government was sending so-called hasty teams on Sunday to board the ship to get a sense of what healthcare workers will face on the ground , he said , while the 10-acre site in Oakland ’ s outer harbor was being cleared and fenced for the onshore processing to begin on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus spread aboard the ship .
Several days ago , the Coast Guard sent 45 tests , and 21 came back positive for COVID-19 , the disease caused by the new coronavirus .
The virus first infected an unknown number of passengers aboard the previous voyage on the ship , a round-trip sail from San Francisco to various ports on Mexico ’ s Pacific Coast , between Feb. 11 and Feb. 21 .
Seventy of those guests held over for the next voyage , from San Francisco to Hawaii and back .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , simply disembarked with no knowledge of an outbreak aboard .
Twelve of them have tested positive in the state , and one man later died , in Placer County .
While state and federal health officials are still reaching out to and trying to monitor those earlier passengers , those aboard the Hawaii trip will be tightly isolated , authorities said .
Newsom said most of the 962 California residents aboard the Grand Princess who did not need immediate medical attention would be taken to Travis Air Force Base in nearby Solano @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a smaller number going to the Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego , officials said .
The remaining American passengers would be sent to military bases in Texas and Georgia , while foreign passengers would be flown to their home countries .
Officials were also working to prepare Oakland International Airport for the charter flights to the other bases , and out of the country .
“ There will be no contact with the general population terminals at Oakland Airport , ” Newsom said .
Debbie Loftus , a passenger from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spoke directly to passengers and thought the news conference , which she watched , represented a “ change in attitude.
” “ It is nice that he is now welcoming us into California ; a few days ago he did not want us anywhere near his state , ” Loftus said .
President Trump said on Friday that he preferred the passengers not be allowed to disembark on U.S. soil , but added that he would let his coronavirus task force , led by Vice President Mike Pence , make the call .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between his and Trump ’ s administrations , said Pence ’ s team “ has been truly exceptional.
” The infections aboard the Grand Princess followed the outbreak aboard its sister ship , the Diamond Princess , which was quarantined at the Port of Yokohama in Japan last month .
Some 700 people aboard the Diamond Princess were infected , and eight have died .
Experts said the confinement of passengers aboard the Diamond Princess created conditions highly conducive to the spread of the virus on board .
Interviewed on CBS ’ “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Surgeon General Jerome Adams promised that sick passengers would “ get the medical care that they need , that they ’ re appropriately evacuated ” and also that people would leave the ship “ as quickly and as safely as possible.
” The U.S. State Department on Sunday advised that “ U.S .
citizens , particularly travelers with underlying health conditions , should not travel by cruise ship , ” noting an “ increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment.
” “ While the U.S. government has evacuated some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities , ” the federal agency said in a statement posted on its website .
Newsom urged the cruise ship industry to look beyond short-term gain and “ own this moment.
” Speaking more generally about the virus , he said the number of Californians testing positive jumped from 88 Saturday to 114 on Sunday , but he emphasized that the number was expected to rise as testing became more widely available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducted statewide so far , California currently has kits for 8,000 individuals and that a private lab , Quest Diagnostics in San Juan Capistrano , will be able to process 2,000 tests each day beginning Monday , if needed .
There are also 15 public labs processing tests , including a facility in Richmond , where tests for the Grand Princess passengers were conducted .
More than two hours offshore , stuck in their cabins , many passengers were struggling with claustrophobic conditions , but were happy to learn they could go outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Loftus , the passenger from Wisconsin , said that many uncertainties remained that are causing her anxiety .
“ This is all going to be a very new experience , going to a military base in Oakland , getting on what I assume is not going to be a commercial airline or ... going someplace I ’ ve never been , she said .
“ Not sure what the accommodations are going to be like and how long we ’ re going to be held there .
Yes , it ’ s a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will handle it minute by minute.
” Matt LaGesse ’ s mother and aunt are on the ship , and he has been trying for days to get information , with little luck .
LaGesse said he was angered by the president ’ s comments about potentially keeping passengers on board , and what he felt was a lack of planning and leadership around the crisis .
Despite details given by Newsom , he remained frustrated and uncertain about what would come next .
LaGesse said he has not been contacted about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line .
“ As a family member and son of a mom that I really , really love ...
I ’ m scared and nervous and disappointed , ” he said Sunday .
“ You expect your leadership ... to give you clear messaging so that you can understand the plan .
”

Anita Chabria, Laura King, Alex Wigglesworth, Joe Mozingo

The Grand Princess cruise ship sails under the Golden Gate Bridge to dock at the Port of Oakland on Monday.
As the Grand Princess cruise ship arrived at the Port of Oakland on Monday, transporting thousands of passengers who were potentially exposed to the coronavirus to quarantine zones, the virus continued its spread across California, with Los Angeles and Riverside counties both announcing additional cases.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has said aggressive steps have been taken to get the passengers off the boat in Oakland without jeopardizing public health. Most will eventually be sent to two California military bases.
Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said she was satisfied with the safety measures being taken by state and federal officials for port workers, local emergency crews and the surrounding community.
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“We are very glad to play a role, which is the right thing to do to welcome these passengers into safety and to release them from what had to have been a terrifying experience of being trapped on this ship,” Schaaf said Monday afternoon after an event on homelessness in Sacramento.
Schaaf did not say, though, whether she would have been able to refuse use of the port if her concerns had not been addressed. The port sits on state-owned land.
“I never got to the point where I had to find that out,” she said. “I believe every local leader needs to play a part and not let fear dictate what they should do.”
Schaaf said she plans to make public the document that federal and state officials provided her, assuring the Oakland community of safety measures. And she confirmed the passengers needing air travel will be flown on private planes from a private airfield in Oakland.
“I think people should take heart that the different levels of government can work together with a single purpose, with safety in mind,” Schaaf said.
As the boat was docking, another death related to the virus was announced in the state, this one in Santa Clara County. A woman in her 60s had been hospitalized for several weeks and died at El Camino Hospital on Monday morning, the Santa Clara County Public Health Department said in a news release.
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She was the third COVID-19 patient in Santa Clara County and the county’s first case of suspected “community spread,” meaning she had neither recently traveled nor had she been in contact with another confirmed case of the virus, officials said.
“This is a tragic development,” Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s health officer, said in a statement. “The Public Health Department is taking necessary, carefully considered steps to slow down the spread of the disease and to protect those at greatest risk. We are facing a historic public health challenge and know this is a very difficult time. Our top priority continues to be protecting the health of our community.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles County health officials confirmed two new coronavirus cases, one of which may be the county’s first case of community spread of the illness.
L.A. County’s public health department director, Dr. Barbara Ferrer, said one of the individuals who tested positive had a known travel history to Japan. The source of exposure for the second person is currently unknown. Both patients are in isolation, and all of their close contacts will be quarantined for 14 days, health officials said.
The latest cases bring the total in L.A. County to 16. One individual — among the first positive cases in the state — has fully recovered, and the remaining 15 are isolated.
In Riverside County, health officials announced three new cases of the virus. All of the new patients are believed to have traveled to an area with a known outbreak or had contact with a known case, public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said. Two have been isolated at home, and the third is at a Coachella Valley hospital.
Last week, Riverside County announced its first locally acquired case; that patient is at Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage. The source of exposure is currently unknown and is considered a result of community spread.
In citing the spread of cases around the world, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Monday: “The threat of a pandemic has become very real.”
He noted that the virus has now infected 100,000 people in 100 countries, but said it is still possible to control the virus through united government action.
“We are not at the mercy of the virus,” he added.
Asian countries that have turned the corner on the virus have shown that even countries with huge outbreaks can control the disease’s spread, Tedros said, adding that government leaders have a responsibility to take action swiftly, especially where major outbreaks have occurred.
“This is an uneven epidemic at the global level,” he said. “Different countries are in different scenarios, requiring a tailored response.”
Tedros said countries with community spread need to consider the most drastic actions, including closing schools and canceling mass gatherings. All countries need to do contact tracing, emphasize the importance of hand hygiene and social distancing and engage the public, he said.
“For all countries, the aim is the same: Stop transmission and prevent the spread of the virus,” he said.
As the number of coronavirus cases in California continues to grow, state public health department officials have issued guidelines for how event organizers should prepare for mass gatherings. While officials did not explicitly instruct the cancellation of any event, they did advise organizers to consider halting events predominantly attended by older or at-risk individuals.
Several schools in California were closed Monday because of the virus, and Stanford University and UC Berkeley both announced they were switching to online classes.
Meanwhile, the city of San Francisco is preparing for a possible outbreak amid an increase in confirmed cases. Officials announced five new cases Monday, bringing the total count to 13. Two of those cases are the result of community transmission.
An oil price war triggered by the spreading coronavirus sent already anxious financial markets into chaos Monday, with stocks diving and crude prices collapsing in a worldwide panic that threatens a global economic recession.
Matthew Guion, 37, a documentary maker, came to Jack London Square in Oakland on Monday to take video of the cruise ship, but it couldn’t be seen from the tourist attraction.
“I am more concerned with getting human beings help than with the president’s agenda of keeping the numbers down,” he said. “What if you were on that ship or you had family members on that ship?”
Of the 2,500 passengers aboard the ship, those in need of immediate medical care or those with preexisting medical conditions will get off the ship first followed by California residents. Before disembarking, they will have their temperatures taken and be assessed for either transfer or treatment at regional medical facilities or quarantine at state military bases.
Passengers with immediate medical needs, which could extend beyond those suspected of having contracted the coronavirus, will disembark first. Earlier, Princess Cruises announced it would offer a full refund to everyone on board, and a credit for a future cruise.
People who live out of state will be taken to federal facilities closer to their homes. Foreigners will be repatriated to their home countries, according to the plan.
At the Port of Oakland gate leading to the cruise ship, authorities turned away a Times reporter. Jen Izeck, 51, a medical social worker who has lived in Oakland for more than 20 years, said docking the ship there is “not great.”
“I think part of the reason Oakland gets this and where this ship is docking is because West Oakland is historically low-income, with lots of minorities who will not give a lot of pushback,” she said. “I think it was a purposeful decision to dock in West Oakland. It is unfortunate they don’t have more of a voice in this.”
Clint Carter, a programmer who works in Jack London Square, also questioned why Oakland was chosen as the docking port for the ship.
“They didn’t put them over in Mill Valley,” he said, referring to the affluent city in Marin County.
But Andrew Igmatenko, 60, an engineer who also works near Jack London Square, said he supported the decision to dock the ship in Oakland.
“They need help,” he said. “They couldn’t live in the ocean. They have to land somewhere.”
Newsom said at a news conference in Oakland on Sunday that the disembarkation and transfer of passengers would take up to three days.
He warned that the situation was “fluid” and could take longer, in part because the port does not regularly deal with cruise ships, and tides and currents allow only small windows of time to enter and leave.
When finished, the Grand Princess would sail out of San Francisco Bay, he said, with the remaining 1,094 crew members — mostly foreign nationals — to be quarantined on board.
Standing next to Newsom, Schaaf sought to assure city residents and port workers that officials were taking every precaution to protect them from infection using “best isolation practices.”
“I’ve been clear with our state and federal partners,” she said, “this is a community that has suffered decades of environmental racism and injustice.”
But she added: “We have to not let our fears dictate or impede our humanity.”
Newsom said authorities had assessed numerous ports and initially planned to direct the ship to the former Naval Air Station Alameda. But “silting issues” made it hazardous for the large ship to dock there, he said, and San Francisco’s port was too close to residential and tourist zones.
The federal government was sending so-called hasty teams on Sunday to board the ship to get a sense of what healthcare workers will face on the ground, he said, while the 10-acre site in Oakland’s outer harbor was being cleared and fenced for the onshore processing to begin. The city said at no time will local residents come into contact with passengers disembarking the ship.
Following the completion of the mission, the Port of Oakland site will be fully remediated and decontaminated by immediately removing temporary structures and pressure-washing the entire site with a bleach solution to disinfect it.
It is unclear how deeply the virus has spread aboard the ship. Several days ago, the Coast Guard sent 45 tests, and 21 came back positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus.
Route of the Grand Princess (Thomas Suh Lauder / Los Angeles Times)
The virus first infected an unknown number of passengers aboard the previous voyage on the ship, a round-trip sail from San Francisco to various ports on Mexico’s Pacific Coast, between Feb. 11 and Feb. 21. Seventy of those guests held over for the next voyage, from San Francisco to Hawaii and back.
The remaining guests, including 1,540 Californians, simply disembarked with no knowledge of an outbreak aboard. Twelve of them have tested positive in the state, and one man later died, in Placer County.
While state and federal health officials are still reaching out to and trying to monitor those earlier passengers, those aboard the Hawaii trip will be tightly isolated, authorities said.
Newsom said most of the 962 California residents aboard the Grand Princess who did not need immediate medical attention would be taken to Travis Air Force Base in nearby Solano County for 14 days of quarantine, with a smaller number going to the Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego, officials said. The remaining American passengers would be sent to military bases in Texas and Georgia, while foreign passengers would be flown to their home countries.
Officials were also working to prepare Oakland International Airport for the charter flights to the other bases, and out of the country. “There will be no contact with the general population terminals at Oakland Airport,” Newsom said.
Debbie Loftus, a passenger from Wisconsin, said she was pleased Newsom spoke directly to passengers and thought the news conference, which she watched, represented a “change in attitude.”
“It is nice that he is now welcoming us into California; a few days ago he did not want us anywhere near his state,” Loftus said.
President Trump said Friday that he preferred the passengers not be allowed to disembark on U.S. soil, but added that he would let his coronavirus task force, led by Vice President Mike Pence, make the call.
Newsom, noting the normally combative relationship between his and Trump’s administrations, said Pence’s team “has been truly exceptional.”
The infections aboard the Grand Princess followed the outbreak aboard its sister ship, the Diamond Princess, which was quarantined at the Port of Yokohama in Japan last month. Some 700 people aboard the Diamond Princess were infected, and eight have died.
Experts said the confinement of passengers aboard the Diamond Princess created conditions highly conducive to the spread of the virus on board.
Interviewed on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday, Surgeon General Jerome Adams promised that sick passengers would “get the medical care that they need, that they’re appropriately evacuated” and also that people would leave the ship “as quickly and as safely as possible.”
The U.S. State Department on Sunday advised that “U.S. citizens, particularly travelers with underlying health conditions, should not travel by cruise ship,” noting an “increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in a cruise ship environment.”
“While the U.S. government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, repatriation flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities,” the federal agency said in a statement posted on its website.
Newsom urged the cruise ship industry to look beyond short-term gain and “own this moment.”
Speaking more generally about the virus, he said the number of Californians testing positive jumped from 88 Saturday to 114 on Sunday, but he emphasized that the number was expected to rise as testing became more widely available.
While only 788 tests have been conducted statewide so far, California currently has kits for 8,000 individuals and that a private lab, Quest Diagnostics in San Juan Capistrano, will be able to process 2,000 tests each day beginning Monday, if needed. There are also 15 public labs processing tests, including a facility in Richmond, where tests for the Grand Princess passengers were conducted.
More than two hours offshore, stuck in their cabins, many passengers were struggling with claustrophobic conditions, but were happy to learn they could go outside for fresh air, in batches.
Loftus, the passenger from Wisconsin, said that many uncertainties remained that are causing her anxiety.
“This is all going to be a very new experience, going to a military base in Oakland, getting on what I assume is not going to be a commercial airline or ... going someplace I’ve never been, she said. “Not sure what the accommodations are going to be like and how long we’re going to be held there. Yes, it’s a little bit anxiety-producing but [we] will handle it minute by minute.”
Matt LaGesse’s mother and aunt are on the ship, and he has been trying for days to get information, with little luck.
LaGesse said he was angered by the president’s comments about potentially keeping passengers on board, and what he felt was a lack of planning and leadership around the crisis. Despite details given by Newsom, he remained frustrated and uncertain about what would come next.
LaGesse said he has not been contacted about the disembarkation plan by authorities or the cruise line.
“As a family member and son of a mom that I really, really love ... I’m scared and nervous and disappointed,” he said Sunday. “You expect your leadership ... to give you clear messaging so that you can understand the plan.”
Times staff writers Hannah Fry, Colleen Shalby, Ruben Vives and John Myers contributed to this report.