latimes--2020-10-02--In California Trump Country, supporters struggling to process the president having COVID-19

Mike Murray was lying on the couch late Thursday , scrolling through his Facebook feed on his phone when he saw the news that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 .
Almost immediately , Murray started seeing people on social media celebrating the president ’ s illness and mocking him , and that stock market futures were tumbling .
“ I did not sleep well because of it , ” said Murray , a member of the Republican Central Committee in conservative Placer County .
“ It ’ s sad .
I wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing some of the comments , people laughing and mocking — there ’ s an old man that just got COVID and you ’ re putting up smiling emojis .
“ I ’ m a Trump supporter , but if Joe Biden came down with it , I would feel awful for him , ” he added .
Trump , whose coronavirus diagnosis was announced at 1 a.m. Friday EDT , was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center later on Friday .
The White House said he was expected to stay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” and was experiencing only mild , cold-like symptoms .
His doctor released a letter saying the president was “ fatigued but in good spirits.
” In Placer County , a slice of Trump Country in blue California , reactions to the president ’ s illness fell along party lines , just as they have all across this deeply divided nation in a year defined by the pandemic , economic despair , racial inequity and natural disasters .
Conservatives said they wished the president a speedy recovery and said he ’ s done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trying to keep people hopeful and the economy from tanking .
Liberals openly celebrated the diagnosis — or thought the president was faking it .
Placer County stretches from the northeastern suburbs of Sacramento through gold rush towns to the Nevada border at Lake Tahoe .
It is increasingly an outlier in California , represented in the state Legislature by five Republicans and in the U.S. House by Republicans Doug LaMalfa of Richvale and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove .
It has voted for a GOP presidential candidate in every election since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ county ’ s voters are registered Republican ; in California , 24 % are .
Murray , 35 , of Rocklin , said that as divided as the country is , both Republicans and Democrats are hurting and depressed by the pandemic .
He wears a mask in public and said he has conservative friends who wear them everywhere and liberal friends who refuse .
Seeing the instant vitriol over the president ’ s illness was disheartening , he said .
In real life , people want to be treated with respect and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ This is the United States of America .
… A few wackos on the fringe should not speak for us , ” he said .
“ Our president getting COVID should bring us closer together , not further apart.
” For the most part , he said , people know that the coronavirus is both real and serious .
Murray believes that Trump , early in the pandemic , did the best he could to keep people ’ s spirits up .
“ He didn ’ t go full-on ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want the economy to crash , ” Murray said .
“ He wanted to keep as many people employed as possible .
He didn ’ t want the death by despair that we ’ ve seen the last several months .
And many took that as , he doesn ’ t care about it [ and ] he doesn ’ t take it seriously.
” Landon Wolf , chairman of the Placer County Young Republicans , said that while he knows the president ’ s age and weight have been cited as potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he takes solace in knowing “ the death rate is very low , and the recovery rate is very high.
” “ I don ’ t imagine him slowing down , even with COVID , ” Wolf , 30 , said .
“ He ’ ll just be working digitally like the rest of us … The man would literally have to be on his deathbed to get him to stop working for the country.
” Wolf said he learned the news through a cellphone alert from the BBC late Thursday .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about the president ’ s family and how worried they must be .
“ I know a lot of this gets lost in the politics , ” he said .
“ Everybody is a caricature of themselves , or the public makes them a caricature .
You forget that he ’ s a grandfather and a father.
” It ’ s a shame , he said , how divided people are , even over the virus .
“ I ’ m not going to blame social media , ” Wolf said , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ element to it .
We are all sitting behind our screens watching what ’ s fed to us through these algorithms telling you what you want to hear so you keep scrolling .
“ Everything is very tribal , ” he said .
“ With seemingly so much chaos going on , you come back to your tribe .
Even if your guy isn ’ t the greatest guy in the world , he ’ s your guy , and both sides feel that way right now.
” Wolf said he thinks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job ” handling the pandemic and that it was appropriate for Trump to be optimistic because “ if you become hopeless , all is lost.
” The Placer County Young Republicans group has posted Facebook memes in recent weeks mocking California ’ s lockdown orders and masks .
In one , an obese woman wearing a mask and riding a motorized wheelchair while clutching a bag from McDonald ’ s says to an unmasked woman : “ Put a mask on !
You ’ re putting my health at risk !
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” the group wrote in the caption .
Wolf said there is “ banter on both sides ” and that both his Republican mother and mother-in-law have sewn him numerous masks .
The mask debate is now just the latest form of vitriol between conservatives and Democrats , he said .
“ I disagree with anybody on the right scolding anybody on the left and vice versa , ” he said .
Rosemary Dukelow , a 64-year-old retired librarian from Roseville , is skeptical that Trump tested positive for COVID-19 .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she said .
“ His doctors always lie to us .
There are a lot of good reasons for him to lie to us about this .
He would get out the debates , he might get a sympathy vote , he could hide out in his bedroom for a while and have a miracle recovery and say it ’ s hydroxychloroquine.
” Dukelow is a longtime volunteer for the Placer County Democratic Party .
In recent weeks , she has helped people get yard signs for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She always figured that if Trump tested positive , he would hide it because he has not been forthcoming with other health issues , including a trip last fall to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center .
about that trip last month : “ It never ends !
Now they are trying to say that your favorite President , me , went to Walter Reed Medical Center , having suffered a series of mini-strokes .
Never happened to THIS candidate — FAKE NEWS .
Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning in a park — masked and socially distanced in lawn chairs — with about 14 people , mostly retirees , who often walk together .
As older people more at risk for COVID-19 , she said , they have been vigilant .
They have varying political views , and Trump ’ s diagnosis was the main topic of conversation .
There wasn ’ t a lot of outright sympathy for him , she said .
Some were “ quietly pleased but openly empathetic ” about his illness ; others were delighted , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really fine justice , proof there really is a God.
” Asked how she thinks Trump has handled the pandemic , Dukelow laughed .

Dusk on Lincoln Way in downtown Auburn, Calif. Reactions to President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis in politically conservative Placer County fell along party lines: Conservatives said they wished the president a speedy recovery while liberals celebrated the diagnosis.
Mike Murray was lying on the couch late Thursday, scrolling through his Facebook feed on his phone when he saw the news that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19.
Almost immediately, Murray started seeing people on social media celebrating the president’s illness and mocking him, and that stock market futures were tumbling.
“I did not sleep well because of it,” said Murray, a member of the Republican Central Committee in conservative Placer County. “It’s sad. I wouldn’t wish that upon anybody, and seeing some of the comments, people laughing and mocking — there’s an old man that just got COVID and you’re putting up smiling emojis.
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“I’m a Trump supporter, but if Joe Biden came down with it, I would feel awful for him,” he added.
Trump, whose coronavirus diagnosis was announced at 1 a.m. Friday EDT, was transported to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center later on Friday. The White House said he was expected to stay there “for the next few days” and was experiencing only mild, cold-like symptoms. His doctor released a letter saying the president was “fatigued but in good spirits.”
In Placer County, a slice of Trump Country in blue California, reactions to the president’s illness fell along party lines, just as they have all across this deeply divided nation in a year defined by the pandemic, economic despair, racial inequity and natural disasters.
Conservatives said they wished the president a speedy recovery and said he’s done the best he can with the pandemic, trying to keep people hopeful and the economy from tanking. Liberals openly celebrated the diagnosis — or thought the president was faking it.
Placer County stretches from the northeastern suburbs of Sacramento through gold rush towns to the Nevada border at Lake Tahoe. It is increasingly an outlier in California, represented in the state Legislature by five Republicans and in the U.S. House by Republicans Doug LaMalfa of Richvale and Tom McClintock of Elk Grove.
It has voted for a GOP presidential candidate in every election since 1980. About 42% of the county’s voters are registered Republican; in California, 24% are.
Rosemary Dukelow, center, a longtime volunteer for Placer County Democrats, speaks with husband-and-wife volunteers Chuck and Audrey Ehrlich who picked up lawn signs in Roseville, Calif., for Democratic candidates. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
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Murray, 35, of Rocklin, said that as divided as the country is, both Republicans and Democrats are hurting and depressed by the pandemic. He wears a mask in public and said he has conservative friends who wear them everywhere and liberal friends who refuse.
Seeing the instant vitriol over the president’s illness was disheartening, he said. In real life, people want to be treated with respect and humanity, regardless of politics, he said.
“This is the United States of America. … A few wackos on the fringe should not speak for us,” he said. “Our president getting COVID should bring us closer together, not further apart.”
For the most part, he said, people know that the coronavirus is both real and serious. Murray believes that Trump, early in the pandemic, did the best he could to keep people’s spirits up.
“He didn’t go full-on ‘sky-is-falling’ because he didn’t want the economy to crash,” Murray said. “He wanted to keep as many people employed as possible. He didn’t want the death by despair that we’ve seen the last several months. And many took that as, he doesn’t care about it [and] he doesn’t take it seriously.”
Landon Wolf, chairman of the Placer County Young Republicans, said that while he knows the president’s age and weight have been cited as potential risk factors for serious illness with COVID-19, he takes solace in knowing “the death rate is very low, and the recovery rate is very high.”
“I don’t imagine him slowing down, even with COVID,” Wolf, 30, said. “He’ll just be working digitally like the rest of us … The man would literally have to be on his deathbed to get him to stop working for the country.”
Wolf said he learned the news through a cellphone alert from the BBC late Thursday. He’s been thinking a lot about the president’s family and how worried they must be.
“I know a lot of this gets lost in the politics,” he said. “Everybody is a caricature of themselves, or the public makes them a caricature. You forget that he’s a grandfather and a father.”
It’s a shame, he said, how divided people are, even over the virus.
“I’m not going to blame social media,” Wolf said, “but I think that’s an element to it. We are all sitting behind our screens watching what’s fed to us through these algorithms telling you what you want to hear so you keep scrolling.
“Everything is very tribal,” he said. “With seemingly so much chaos going on, you come back to your tribe. Even if your guy isn’t the greatest guy in the world, he’s your guy, and both sides feel that way right now.”
Wolf said he thinks the president has done “a pretty good job” handling the pandemic and that it was appropriate for Trump to be optimistic because “if you become hopeless, all is lost.”
The Placer County Young Republicans group has posted Facebook memes in recent weeks mocking California’s lockdown orders and masks. In one, an obese woman wearing a mask and riding a motorized wheelchair while clutching a bag from McDonald’s says to an unmasked woman: “Put a mask on! You’re putting my health at risk!”
“We are living in a clown world,” the group wrote in the caption.
Wolf said there is “banter on both sides” and that both his Republican mother and mother-in-law have sewn him numerous masks. The mask debate is now just the latest form of vitriol between conservatives and Democrats, he said.
“I disagree with anybody on the right scolding anybody on the left and vice versa,” he said.
Rosemary Dukelow, a volunteer for Placer County Democrats, is skeptical that President Trump tested positive for COVID-19. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Rosemary Dukelow, a 64-year-old retired librarian from Roseville, is skeptical that Trump tested positive for COVID-19.
“He always lies to us,” she said. “His doctors always lie to us. There are a lot of good reasons for him to lie to us about this. He would get out the debates, he might get a sympathy vote, he could hide out in his bedroom for a while and have a miracle recovery and say it’s hydroxychloroquine.”
Dukelow is a longtime volunteer for Placer County Democrats. In recent weeks, she has helped people get yard signs for Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and said several have been defaced or stolen.
She always figured that if Trump tested positive, he would hide it because he has not been forthcoming with other health issues, including a trip last fall to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
He tweeted about that trip last month: “It never ends! Now they are trying to say that your favorite President, me, went to Walter Reed Medical Center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate — FAKE NEWS. Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from another Party!”
Dukelow gathered Friday morning in a park — masked and socially distanced in lawn chairs — with about 14 people, mostly retirees, who often walk together. As older people more at risk for COVID-19, she said, they have been vigilant.
They have varying political views, and Trump’s diagnosis was the main topic of conversation.
There wasn’t a lot of outright sympathy for him, she said. Some were “quietly pleased but openly empathetic” about his illness; others were delighted, saying that “it would be some really fine justice, proof there really is a God.”
Asked how she thinks Trump has handled the pandemic, Dukelow laughed.
“He hasn’t.”


latimes--2020-10-02--When the president gets COVID-19, my fever-dream nightmares come to life

I ’ ve been having a steady stream of nightmares lately , waking up in the dark in cold sweats .
It ’ s something I went through at the start of the pandemic .
I thought I ’ d put those rough nights behind me .
But that was before I dreamed of Dr. Anthony Fauci and a vital message he tried in vain to deliver .
In my dream , his kind eyes were worried .
He clearly had something of importance to say .
But when he spoke , I could not hear him .
His words @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably would have been drowned out anyway by the loud , jeering crowd that surrounded him .
I woke up thinking about that dream Friday morning — even with a fresh bad dream still vivid , of rats running across my bed .
The last thing I ’ d done before I ’ d shut my eyes the night before was face the waking nightmare that the president of my country had tested positive for COVID-19 .
I am terrified of rats .
But I am far more terrified of the coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ could we all not be ?
It has killed more than 208,000 of our fellow Americans and made many more thousands very ill and it doesn ’ t seem anywhere near done .
So even though the size of our collective plate of worries feels Guinness-World-Records-shattering right now — lost jobs , potential armed mobs , the future of our vote and of our Supreme Court — and even though I try to watch just about every speech President Trump gives because his words matter so much on these and many other fronts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the wind and speaking unmasked to largely unmasked crowds , that fact is often the only one I can focus on .
President Trump has preferred not to follow his scientists ’ safety guidelines .
He hasn ’ t liked to wear a mask .
And so the people in his inner circle who try hard not to displease him haven ’ t worn them much either , no matter the risks to their loved ones .
They ’ ve been together with little physical distance in so many close quarters — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Force One and Marine One .
And they ’ ve traveled together to crowded rallies around the country , where his faithful followers have in turn put themselves at risk by making bare-faced a badge of loyalty .
And now he ’ s got the virus .
And the first lady has the virus .
And a top aide has the virus .
And who knows how many others who ’ ve been near them and followed his lead , ignoring the most basic and sensible safety guidelines .
Me , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always keep at least six feet between me and the next person .
I always wear my mask around others .
I put it on before I set foot anywhere I expect to run into people .
I still consider going to the supermarket a high-risk activity .
I still try to cross the street or duck into a driveway if I ’ m on a narrow sidewalk and someone is about to come too close .
I don ’ t really mind if someone who chooses not to wear a mask does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have no problem on the street if I see a maskless person zigging and zagging to keep plenty of distance .
But the president has not been zigging and zagging to protect others .
He has been putting them and himself needlessly at risk .
He has made the choice of wearing a mask so politically charged that he has even made it feel risky in some settings for people to do so to try to protect others .
In my Dr. Fauci dream , I found myself in a crowded , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shoulder to shoulder with strangers .
And not a single one of them was social distancing or wearing a mask .
When I spoke to them through mine , they mocked me and mimicked me and jabbed me with their fingers and laughed hard , wet laughs right into my face .
And then the good doctor appeared in his mask — and tried both to comfort me and to speak to the crowd .
But no sound came out of the mouth of this man who knows so much about viruses but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ president .
Masks should have been from the earliest days of the pandemic the proud symbol of our national commitment to come together to defeat a common enemy — a la planting Victory Gardens in World War I .
Scientists like Fauci should have been placed front and center to champion them and our safety .
I ’ ve written a lot in recent months about how little an ask wearing a mask and keeping physical distance really is .
I have brought you the simple , science-based mantra of Dr. Lucy Jones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air.
” Masks save lives .
Masks slow spread .
Scientists know this to be true .
But our president has sidelined our scientists .
He has muted or drowned out their messages .
It ’ s not just that he resists being told what to do , however wise .
He also belittles us rule followers .
He has repeatedly mocked Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden for wearing masks to a fault , as he did in the presidential debate when he said , “ Every time you see him , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be speaking 200 feet away from me and he shows up with the biggest mask I ’ ve ever seen , ” and spread his fingers wide in front of his own face to illustrate .
He has not only declined to model taking safety precautions as a do-this-for-all-of-us common good , he has modeled an attitude that conveys that following the rules is for the suckers and the sissies and the scaredy-cats , not the strong .
For his own sake , for the sake of the nation , I hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thinks he is and that he ’ ll get well soon — and then finally cede the microphone to the experts who know best how to save us .

President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump step off Air Force One upon arrival at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport in Cleveland, prior to the first of three presidential debates. The first couple have tested positive for the coronavirus.
I’ve been having a steady stream of nightmares lately, waking up in the dark in cold sweats. It’s something I went through at the start of the pandemic. I thought I’d put those rough nights behind me.
But that was before I dreamed of Dr. Anthony Fauci and a vital message he tried in vain to deliver.
In my dream, his kind eyes were worried. He clearly had something of importance to say. But when he spoke, I could not hear him. His words of wisdom stayed on mute. They probably would have been drowned out anyway by the loud, jeering crowd that surrounded him.
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I woke up thinking about that dream Friday morning — even with a fresh bad dream still vivid, of rats running across my bed. The last thing I’d done before I’d shut my eyes the night before was face the waking nightmare that the president of my country had tested positive for COVID-19.
I am terrified of rats. But I am far more terrified of the coronavirus. How could I not be? How could we all not be? It has killed more than 208,000 of our fellow Americans and made many more thousands very ill and it doesn’t seem anywhere near done.
So even though the size of our collective plate of worries feels Guinness-World-Records-shattering right now — lost jobs, potential armed mobs, the future of our vote and of our Supreme Court — and even though I try to watch just about every speech President Trump gives because his words matter so much on these and many other fronts, when I see him throwing caution to the wind and speaking unmasked to largely unmasked crowds, that fact is often the only one I can focus on.
President Trump has preferred not to follow his scientists’ safety guidelines. He hasn’t liked to wear a mask. And so the people in his inner circle who try hard not to displease him haven’t worn them much either, no matter the risks to their loved ones. They’ve been together with little physical distance in so many close quarters — in the White House, on Air Force One and Marine One. And they’ve traveled together to crowded rallies around the country, where his faithful followers have in turn put themselves at risk by making bare-faced a badge of loyalty.
And now he’s got the virus. And the first lady has the virus. And a top aide has the virus. And who knows how many others who’ve been near them and followed his lead, ignoring the most basic and sensible safety guidelines.
Me, I’ve never stopped being nervous. I always keep at least six feet between me and the next person. I always wear my mask around others. I put it on before I set foot anywhere I expect to run into people. I still consider going to the supermarket a high-risk activity. I still try to cross the street or duck into a driveway if I’m on a narrow sidewalk and someone is about to come too close.
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I don’t really mind if someone who chooses not to wear a mask does so without putting others at risk. I have no problem on the street if I see a maskless person zigging and zagging to keep plenty of distance. But the president has not been zigging and zagging to protect others. He has been putting them and himself needlessly at risk. He has made the choice of wearing a mask so politically charged that he has even made it feel risky in some settings for people to do so to try to protect others.
In my Dr. Fauci dream, I found myself in a crowded, crowded town somewhere, indoors, jammed shoulder to shoulder with strangers. And not a single one of them was social distancing or wearing a mask. When I spoke to them through mine, they mocked me and mimicked me and jabbed me with their fingers and laughed hard, wet laughs right into my face.
And then the good doctor appeared in his mask — and tried both to comfort me and to speak to the crowd. But no sound came out of the mouth of this man who knows so much about viruses but has been all but silenced by the president.
Masks should have been from the earliest days of the pandemic the proud symbol of our national commitment to come together to defeat a common enemy — a la planting Victory Gardens in World War I.
Scientists like Fauci should have been placed front and center to champion them and our safety.
I’ve written a lot in recent months about how little an ask wearing a mask and keeping physical distance really is. I have brought you the simple, science-based mantra of Dr. Lucy Jones: “Don’t share your air.”
Masks save lives. Masks slow spread. Scientists know this to be true.
But our president has sidelined our scientists. He has muted or drowned out their messages.
It’s not just that he resists being told what to do, however wise. He also belittles us rule followers.
He has repeatedly mocked Democratic Party nominee Joe Biden for wearing masks to a fault, as he did in the presidential debate when he said, “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from me and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen,” and spread his fingers wide in front of his own face to illustrate.
He has not only declined to model taking safety precautions as a do-this-for-all-of-us common good, he has modeled an attitude that conveys that following the rules is for the suckers and the sissies and the scaredy-cats, not the strong.
For his own sake, for the sake of the nation, I hope he’s as strong as he thinks he is and that he’ll get well soon — and then finally cede the microphone to the experts who know best how to save us.


latimes--2020-10-02--The coronavirus waiting game: It can take days for symptoms to appear, longer for severe illness

It can take time for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen following exposure to the coronavirus .
While most people only experience mild or no symptoms at all , it can take roughly a week or so before severe illness strikes for those who do end up experiencing life-threatening symptoms .
Here are some key facts about how long it can take for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen among patients who develop severe illness , according to the .
• After onset of illness or symptoms , the median time it can take to start feeling shortness of breath is about five to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ illness or symptoms , the median time it can take to start to experience acute respiratory distress syndrome is about eight to 12 days .
• After onset of illness or symptoms , the median time it can take to be admitted to the intensive care unit is about 10 to 12 days .
“ Clinicians should be aware of the potential for some patients to rapidly deteriorate one week after illness onset , ” the CDC said on its website .
In general , only about one in five people with COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 44,000 people with COVID-19 in China , researchers found the following : • 81 % experienced mild or moderate symptoms , up to mild pneumonia .
• 14 % experienced severe symptoms , such as shortness of breath , a lack of adequate oxygen , or more advanced pneumonia .
Of those who were diagnosed with coronavirus infection , 2.3 % died .
Among those cases , the rate at which those who were infected with the coronavirus died — a percentage known as the case fatality rate — is highest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their 70s , 8 % died ; • Of those in their 60s , 3.6 % died ; • Of those in their 50s , 1.3 % died ; • Of those in their 40s , 0.4 % died ; • And among those younger than 40 , 0.2 % died .
According to the CDC , after accounting for differences in age and prevalence of underlying medical conditions , mortality associated with COVID-19 in the U.S. is similar to that from China .
Among U.S. cases of COVID-19 where researchers understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % were hospitalized , and 6 % were admitted to the intensive care unit .
For those who are hospitalized Among patients who do become hospitalized , about 26 % to 32 % have been admitted to the intensive care unit , according to the CDC .
Among those who entered the intensive care unit , the mortality rate among those patients ranged from 39 % to 72 % .
The median length of hospitalization among those who survived was 10 to 13 days .
How long it takes for symptoms to begin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ five days for symptoms of COVID-19 to begin following a person ’ s exposure to the coronavirus , although , generally speaking , it can take as long as 14 days .
How long it takes for coronavirus tests to detect infection Getting tested too early after a person is exposed to the coronavirus can yield a negative test result , even though the virus has entered the body and has started .
“ A single negative test does not mean you will remain negative at any time point after that test , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines for those who are found to be infected ?
People found to be infected with the coronavirus should be isolated from people who are not infected .
They should remain isolated until at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared , at least 24 hours with no fever without taking fever-reducing drugs , and other symptoms are improving .
The loss of taste and smell “ or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation , ” the CDC said .
Those with severe COVID-19 illness — like those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oxygen — may need to stay in isolation for possibly up to 20 days after the symptoms began .
People testing positive for the virus but with no symptoms can resume being with other people after 10 days have passed since the first positive test .
Doctors might suggest that the patient get tested repeatedly to end the isolation earlier , such as through two consecutive negative tests done at least 24 hours apart .
People who have been in “ close contact ” with someone who has COVID-19 should be quarantined , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they know if they ’ ve been infected .
The CDC defines close contact as being within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for 15 or more minutes ; providing care to someone with disease ; having direct physical contact with an infected person , such as through a hug or a kiss ; sharing eating or drinking utensils ; or being sneezed or coughed out by the infected person .
The CDC says those under quarantine should stay at home for 14 days after their last contact with a person with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cough and shortness of breath .
“ Even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy , you should stay home ( quarantine ) since symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus , ” the CDC says .
How long is an infected person infectious for ?
THe CDC says that people with mild to moderate COVID-19 illness may produce infectious coronavirus that can infect other people for after symptoms begin .
But a small percentage of those who have severe COVID-19 illness can remain infectious of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reinfected with the coronavirus after getting better ?
There ’ s limited data about reinfection with the coronavirus after recovery from COVID-19 , according to the CDC .
“ This is a new virus , and CDC is actively working to learn more , ” the agency said .

A woman deposits her coronavirus test in a bin at the COVID-19 testing site at the Forum parking lot in Inglewood on July 20.
It can take time for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen following exposure to the coronavirus. While most people only experience mild or no symptoms at all, it can take roughly a week or so before severe illness strikes for those who do end up experiencing life-threatening symptoms.
Here are some key facts about how long it can take for COVID-19 symptoms to worsen among patients who develop severe illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .
After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to start feeling shortness of breath is about five to eight days.
After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to start to experience acute respiratory distress syndrome is about eight to 12 days.
After onset of illness or symptoms, the median time it can take to be admitted to the intensive care unit is about 10 to 12 days.
“Clinicians should be aware of the potential for some patients to rapidly deteriorate one week after illness onset,” the CDC said on its website.
Chances of serious illness
In general, about one in five people with COVID-19 experience severe or critical illness.
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Among more than 44,000 people with COVID-19 in China, researchers found the following:
81% experienced mild or moderate symptoms, up to mild pneumonia.
14% experienced severe symptoms, such as shortness of breath, a lack of adequate oxygen, or more advanced pneumonia.
5% experienced critical symptoms, including respiratory failure, shock or multiorgan system dysfunction.
Of those who were diagnosed with coronavirus infection, 2.3% died.
Among those cases, the rate at which those who were infected with the coronavirus died — a percentage known as the case fatality rate — is highest among older people:
Of COVID-19 patients aged 80 or older, 14.8% died;
Of those in their 70s, 8% died;
Of those in their 60s, 3.6% died;
Of those in their 50s, 1.3% died;
Of those in their 40s, 0.4% died;
And among those younger than 40, 0.2% died.
According to the CDC, after accounting for differences in age and prevalence of underlying medical conditions, mortality associated with COVID-19 in the U.S. is similar to that from China.
Among U.S. cases of COVID-19 where researchers understand what happened to the patient, 19% were hospitalized, and 6% were admitted to the intensive care unit.
For those who are hospitalized
Among patients who do become hospitalized, about 26% to 32% have been admitted to the intensive care unit, according to the CDC.
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Among those who entered the intensive care unit, the mortality rate among those patients ranged from 39% to 72%.
The median length of hospitalization among those who survived was 10 to 13 days.
How long it takes for symptoms to begin
It takes a median of four to five days for symptoms of COVID-19 to begin following a person’s exposure to the coronavirus, although, generally speaking, it can take as long as 14 days.
How long it takes for coronavirus tests to detect infection
It can take roughly five to seven days for a coronavirus infection to trigger a positive test result, according to Dr. Otto Yang, an infectious disease specialist at UCLA.
Getting tested too early after a person is exposed to the coronavirus can yield a negative test result, even though the virus has entered the body and has started to replicate.
It can take time for the virus to reproduce to levels high enough in the body to be picked up by a test.
“A single negative test does not mean you will remain negative at any time point after that test,” the CDC says.
What are guidelines for those who are found to be infected?
People found to be infected with the coronavirus should be isolated from people who are not infected.
They should remain isolated until at least 10 days since symptoms first appeared, at least 24 hours with no fever without taking fever-reducing drugs, and other symptoms are improving. The loss of taste and smell “ may persist for weeks or months after recovery and need not delay the end of isolation,” the CDC said.
Those with severe COVID-19 illness — like those needing care in a hospital and needing oxygen — may need to stay in isolation for possibly up to 20 days after the symptoms began.
People testing positive for the virus but with no symptoms can resume being with other people after 10 days have passed since the first positive test. Doctors might suggest that the patient get tested repeatedly to end the isolation earlier, such as through two consecutive negative tests done at least 24 hours apart.
People who have been in “close contact” with someone who has COVID-19 should be quarantined, which means staying away from others until they know if they’ve been infected.
The CDC defines close contact as being within six feet of someone who has COVID-19 for 15 or more minutes; providing care to someone with disease; having direct physical contact with an infected person, such as through a hug or a kiss; sharing eating or drinking utensils; or being sneezed or coughed out by the infected person.
The CDC says those under quarantine should stay at home for 14 days after their last contact with a person with COVID-19, and monitor for fever, cough and shortness of breath.
“Even if you test negative for COVID-19 or feel healthy, you should stay home (quarantine) since symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure to the virus,” the CDC says.
How long is an infected person infectious for?
The CDC says that people with mild to moderate COVID-19 illness may produce infectious coronavirus that can infect other people for up to 10 days after symptoms begin.
But a small percentage of those who have severe COVID-19 illness can remain infectious of up to 20 days.
Can people be reinfected with the coronavirus after getting better?
There’s limited data about reinfection with the coronavirus after recovery from COVID-19, according to the CDC. “This is a new virus, and CDC is actively working to learn more,” the agency said.
Times staff writers Emily Baumgaertner and Deborah Netburn contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-02--Trump's Walk of Fame star smashed again, this time by someone dressed as the Hulk

President Donald Trump ’ s embattled star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been damaged again — this time by an angry green Avenger .
The sidewalk star was defaced with a pickax early Friday morning by a person dressed as the Incredible Hulk , the Marvel superhero , said Jeff Lee , a public information officer for the Los Angeles Police Dept .
Police officers responded to the scene around 5:50 a.m. and a vandalism report was taken from witnesses , Lee said .
No arrests were made and the investigation will be handed over to detectives , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case .
The incident occurred just hours after the president revealed that he and First Lady Melania Trump contracted the novel coronavirus — a threat he has downplayed for months .
The Hollywood Boulevard plaque sustained more than $ 3,000 in damage , a spokeswoman for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce told The Times .
That bumps up the crime to a felony .
And the star will be replaced — again — by the chamber , which administers the Hollywood Walk of Fame .
“ Any star , which is vandalized or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ belongs to will be replaced by the Hollywood Historic Trust , a non-profit , non-partisan group , ” said chamber President and CEO Rana Ghadban in a statement to The Times .
Ghadban continued : “ When people are angry with one of our honorees , we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark .
Our democracy is based on respect for the law .
People can make a real difference by voting and not destroying public property.
” Repairs were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was covered with plywood and hidden from public view .
The iconic pink-hued landmarks dot the streets of Hollywood and celebrate the professional contributions of inductees .
Trump received his star in 2007 in the television category as a producer for his work on the beauty pageants that he owned .
In recent years , the street monument has become a battleground for political debate in Los Angeles , often hosting protests , being spat upon or written on .
In 2016 it was bashed with a sledgehammer , and in 2018 it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third time the former “ Celebrity Apprentice ” host ’ s star will be replaced by the trust , the chamber said .
Clean Streets LA has previously cleaned up graffiti that the star sustained .
But the stars are generally maintained on a voluntary basis by the Hollywood Historic Trust , which preserves Tinseltown ’ s history , and no taxpayer dollars are used , the group said .
Other stars for fallen icons such as Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson have also endured bouts of vandalism but have never been @ @

Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2007 in the television category.
Hulk smash!
President Donald Trump’s embattled star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame has been damaged again — this time by an angry green Avenger.
The sidewalk star was defaced with a pickax early Friday morning by a person dressed as the Incredible Hulk, the Marvel superhero, said Jeff Lee, a public information officer for the Los Angeles Police Dept.
Police officers responded to the scene around 5:50 a.m. and a vandalism report was taken from witnesses, Lee said. No arrests were made and the investigation will be handed over to detectives, “just like any other vandalism” case.
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Frank Nielsen takes a photo of the spot where President Donald Trump’s star is set on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. It was covered with plywood and surrounded by fencing and tarps after it was vandalized Friday morning. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
The incident occurred just hours after the president revealed that he and First Lady Melania Trump contracted the novel coronavirus — a threat he has downplayed for months.
The Hollywood Boulevard plaque sustained more than $3,000 in damage, a spokeswoman for the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce told The Times. That bumps up the crime to a felony.
And the star will be replaced — again — by the chamber, which administers the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“Any star, which is vandalized or destroyed, no matter which honoree it belongs to will be replaced by the Hollywood Historic Trust, a non-profit, non-partisan group,” said chamber President and CEO Rana Ghadban in a statement to The Times.
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Ghadban continued: “When people are angry with one of our honorees, we would hope that they would project their anger in more positive ways than to vandalize a California State landmark. Our democracy is based on respect for the law. People can make a real difference by voting and not destroying public property.”
Donald Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame was also vandalized in 2018. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)
Repairs were already underway Friday afternoon and the star was covered with plywood and hidden from public view.
The iconic pink-hued landmarks dot the streets of Hollywood and celebrate the professional contributions of inductees. Trump received his star in 2007 in the television category as a producer for his work on the beauty pageants that he owned.
In recent years, the street monument has become a battleground for political debate in Los Angeles, often hosting protests, being spat upon or written on. In 2016 it was bashed with a sledgehammer, and in 2018 it was destroyed with a pickax .
This will be the third time the former “Celebrity Apprentice” host’s star will be replaced by the trust, the chamber said. Clean Streets LA has previously cleaned up graffiti that the star sustained. But the stars are generally maintained on a voluntary basis by the Hollywood Historic Trust, which preserves Tinseltown’s history, and no taxpayer dollars are used, the group said.
Other stars for fallen icons such as Bill Cosby and Michael Jackson have also endured bouts of vandalism but have never been removed.


latimes--2020-10-02--Firefighters fear two mega-fires could merge in California as 4 million acres burn

As fire crews continue working to get a number of significant blazes in Northern California under control , they ’ ve also endeavored to prevent a megafire merger that would take the top off the state ’ s record books .
The potential stems from two fires — the historically mammoth August Complex and the far-smaller-but-still-devastating Zogg fire — that have burned to within roughly nine miles of each other in an area southwest of Redding .
While crews have increased containment of both blazes recently , particularly on the Zogg fire , officials this week acknowledged some concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobody wants them to merge .
We have every plan in place for them not to merge .
But it ’ s 2020 , and time will tell , ” said Kale Casey , public information officer for the Alaska Incident Management Team that ’ s assigned to the north zone of the August Complex .
Fusing with the roughly 56,000-acre Zogg fire would swell the August Complex ’ s already massive footprint to more than 1 million acres — a previously unthinkable milestone in an unprecedented fire season .
However , officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zogg fire , boosting containment to 46 % as of Friday .
The progress is particularly promising around the fire ’ s southern edge — the area nearest the August Complex .
Chris Waters , an operations section chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection , said Friday that the fire has calmed significantly in “ the area from Igo south to Highway 36 and then back north to Platina Road.
” “ We have engines still patrolling looking for hot spots and making sure that thing doesn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said in a video briefing .
“ And then they ’ re also going to be available to do initial attack in the event that another incident starts.
” The eastern flank of the August Complex also appears to be in good shape , according to the Alaska team ’ s operations section chief , Karen Scholl .
But that could easily change if the winds pick up .
Strong gusts can carry embers miles beyond a fire ’ s burn area , potentially jumping containment lines , Casey said .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , certainly , ” he said Friday .
“ The original lightning strikes all merged to create this megafire .
Though everyone has their defensive plan … that doesn ’ t mean that the fire won ’ t loft right over all that in a wind event.
” The August Complex began Aug. 17 as more than 30 separate fires sparked by dry lightning in the Mendocino National Forest .
Some of those burned together over the following days and weeks , and by Sept. 10 , the complex was officially the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 970,000 acres , more than twice the size of any in state history , it could surpass the 1-million mark even if it doesn ’ t merge with the Zogg fire .
Containment on the overall complex — burning in and around the Mendocino , Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests — stood at 51 % as of Friday morning .
Though growth of the Zogg fire has slowed markedly in recent days , it ’ s already taken a tremendous toll since it ignited Sunday afternoon near the community of Igo .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths and destroyed 159 structures , according to Cal Fire .
Shasta County identified two of the victims Thursday .
Sheriff ’ s Lt. Logan Stonehouse , the county ’ s chief deputy coroner , said the body of Karin King , 79 , was discovered about 7 a.m. Monday on Zogg Mine Road in Igo .
Stonehouse said Kenneth Vossen , 52 , of Igo died Tuesday at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento , where he was being treated for injuries suffered in the fire .
Two others found in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identified yet , Stonehouse said , adding that the cases are still under investigation .
The Zogg and August Complex fires are just two of the significant blazes that have scorched sections of California during a devastating fire season .
Officials said this week that the state is poised to reach a grim milestone : 4 million total acres burned , easily the most in a single year .
“ It ’ s likely that , over the next day or two , we will crest the 4-million-acre mark , ” Cal Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The biggest year before this year : 1.54 million .
We are dwarfing that previous record , and we have a lot of season left to go.
” Crews are continuing to battle roughly two dozen major blazes statewide .
Those include the Glass fire , which has grown to more than 60,000 acres and has destroyed at least 220 homes in Northern California ’ s wine country .
Officials said that fire remained active overnight , with above-average temperatures , low humidity and dry fuels “ continuing to challenge control efforts.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Friday morning .
Areas around the Glass fire remain under a red flag warning through early Saturday because of dry and breezy conditions , according to the National Weather Service .
California ’ s calamitous fire season has brought with it a cost that goes far beyond the number of acres burned and structures engulfed .
The price in lives lost reached 31 on Friday when Cal Fire announced that another victim of the LNU Lightning Complex fire had died .
The announcement came shortly after crews fully contained that complex , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fire in state history .
The fire started Aug. 17 and burned in Sonoma , Lake , Napa , Yolo and Solano counties .
Full containment also has been reached on California ’ s third-largest fire : the SCU Lightning Complex , which scorched 396,624 acres in areas of Contra Costa , Alameda , Santa Clara , Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties .
Times staff writers Maura Dolan and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report .

A California Highway Patrol officer watches flames from the Zogg fire on Clear Creek Road near Igo, Calif.
As fire crews continue working to get a number of significant blazes in Northern California under control, they’ve also endeavored to prevent a mega-fire merger that would take the top off the state’s record books.
The potential stems from two fires — the historically mammoth August Complex and the far smaller but still devastating Zogg fire — that have burned to within roughly nine miles of each other in an area southwest of Redding.
While crews have increased containment of both blazes recently, particularly on the Zogg fire, officials this week acknowledged some concern that the two could eventually meet.
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“Nobody wants them to merge. We have every plan in place for them not to merge. But it’s 2020, and time will tell,” said Kale Casey, public information officer for the Alaska Incident Management Team that’s assigned to the north zone of the August Complex.
Fusing with the 56,000-acre Zogg fire would swell the August Complex’s already massive footprint to more than 1 million acres — a previously unthinkable milestone in an unprecedented fire season.
Fire crews, however, have made progress corralling the Zogg fire, which by Friday evening was 56% contained. Whereas some 1,500 structures were threatened Thursday night by flames, by Friday evening only 100 structures were in jeopardy. The Zogg fire has already destroyed 170 structures.
The progress is particularly promising around the fire’s southern edge — the area nearest the August Complex.
Chris Waters, an operations section chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said Friday that the fire has calmed significantly in “the area from Igo south to Highway 36 and then back north to Platina Road.”
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“We have engines still patrolling looking for hot spots and making sure that thing doesn’t cause us any problems,” he said in a video briefing. “And then they’re also going to be available to do initial attack in the event that another incident starts.”
The eastern flank of the August Complex also appears to be in good shape, according to the Alaska team’s operations section chief, Karen Scholl.
But that could easily change if the winds pick up. Strong gusts can carry embers miles beyond a fire’s burn area, potentially jumping containment lines, Casey said.
“The potential is there for fires to merge, certainly,” he said Friday. “The original lightning strikes all merged to create this mega-fire. Though everyone has their defensive plan … that doesn’t mean that the fire won’t loft right over all that in a wind event.”
The August Complex began Aug. 17 as more than 30 separate fires sparked by dry lightning in the Mendocino National Forest.
Some of those burned together over the following days and weeks, and by Sept. 10, the complex was officially the largest blaze in California history.
Already at 970,000 acres, more than twice the size of any in state history, it could surpass 1 million acres even if it doesn’t merge with the Zogg fire.
Containment of the overall complex — burning in and around the Mendocino, Shasta-Trinity and Six Rivers national forests — stood at 55% as of Friday evening.
Though its march has slowed in recent days, the Zogg fire has devastated an area southwest of Redding since igniting Sunday afternoon near the community of Igo. Four people have died, and 170 structures have been destroyed in the fire, authorities said.
Shasta County identified two of the victims Thursday. Sheriff’s Lt. Logan Stonehouse, the county’s chief deputy coroner, said the body of Karin King, 79, was discovered about 7 a.m. Monday on Zogg Mine Road in Igo.
Stonehouse said Kenneth Vossen, 52, of Igo died Tuesday at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, where he was being treated for injuries suffered in the fire.
Two others found in the fire zone haven’t been positively identified yet, Stonehouse said, adding that the cases are still under investigation.
California Fourth death confirmed as fires continue to torch Northern California The Zogg fire has burned more than 55,000 acres and claimed a fourth victim, while the Glass fire has charred more than 51,000 acres in Northern California.
The Zogg and August Complex fires are just two of the significant blazes that have scorched sections of California during a devastating fire season.
Officials said this week that the state is poised to reach a grim milestone: 4 million total acres burned, easily the most in a single year.
“It’s likely that, over the next day or two, we will crest the 4-million-acre mark,” Cal Fire director Thom Porter said Thursday. “The biggest year before this year: 1.54 million. We are dwarfing that previous record, and we have a lot of season left to go.”
Crews are continuing to battle roughly two dozen major blazes statewide.
Those include the Glass fire, which has grown to more than 60,000 acres and has destroyed at least 220 homes in Northern California’s wine country.
Officials said that fire remained active overnight, with above-average temperatures, low humidity and dry fuels “continuing to challenge control efforts.”
The fire was 6% contained as of Friday morning.
Areas around the Glass fire remain under a red flag warning through early Saturday because of dry and breezy conditions, according to the National Weather Service.
California’s calamitous fire season has brought with it a cost that goes far beyond the number of acres burned and structures engulfed.
The price in lives lost reached 31 on Friday, when Cal Fire announced that another victim of the LNU Lightning Complex fire had died.
The announcement came shortly after crews fully contained that complex, which at 363,220 acres is the fourth-largest fire in state history. The fire started Aug. 17 and burned in Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Yolo and Solano counties.
Full containment also has been reached on California’s third-largest fire: the SCU Lightning Complex, which scorched 396,624 acres in areas of Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Stanislaus and San Joaquin counties.
Times staff writers Maura Dolan and Rong-Gong Lin II contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-02--'This was entirely predictable': Trump's coronavirus status angers and sparks alarm

And now , in the latest destabilizing twist , a commander in chief who has fallen victim to one of the most serious health threats faced by a sitting U.S. president in modern history .
“ If you didn ’ t think 2020 couldn ’ t get any more crazy , here we are , ” said Nick Dokoozlian , a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder who is pursuing his studies remotely from his native Modesto because of the pandemic .
Dokoozlian had just finished watching Thursday Night Football and had turned his attention to baseball when an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ President Trump and the first lady had tested positive for the coronavirus .
Shocked , he immediately called his mother to share the news .
“ This just reinforces that we need to continue to wear masks and be vigilant at all times , ” he said .
“ In California , things are starting to open back up a little bit , but we still need to be cautious .
This can really hit anyone.
” Dokoozlian , 21 , who is a state captain for the organization Gen Z GOP , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First Lady Melania Trump — and all others affected — recover from the virus .
“ I ’ m really hoping people don ’ t start to point fingers right now , ” he said .
“ You can question the president ’ s handling of coronavirus , but we need to rally behind him and everyone else infected.
” About 300 miles south in Los Angeles , much of the public reaction was less charitable .
Many people pointed out that before contracting the virus , Trump repeatedly downplayed its severity and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Suzie Salinas , 54 , of Bell recalled that just days ago , during the presidential debate , Trump poked fun at Democratic candidate Joe Biden for wearing masks frequently .
“ That ’ s what he gets for making fun of people , ” said Salinas , who was wearing a mask and carrying a fresh box of disinfecting wipes as she exited a Target in East Los Angeles .
She said she ’ s disappointed that while Latinos in East and Southeast L.A. have been hit hard despite doing their best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s leader didn ’ t set an example .
“ We ’ re following [ the rules ] , how come he can ’ t .
He ’ s not special .
He ’ s a human being like everybody else .
We bleed the same color .
“ You don ’ t see him going to buy Clorox wipes.
” “ I ’ m not saying I ’ m happy he got it , ” Diaz said .
“ I ’ m sure now he sees this is not a joke.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus seriously since returning from a deployment in South Korea a couple of months ago .
One of his family members at one point was hospitalized with COVID-19 and declared dead — but miraculously recovered .
But Diaz watched the president dismiss the virus repeatedly and didn ’ t see him wear a mask during news conferences and other appearances .
“ It ’ s kind of ironic , ” he said .
“ You could tell he didn ’ t believe in it and he was careless on his part.
” Maricela @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up early to arrive at her spot on César Chávez Avenue at 5 a.m .
Her TV doesn ’ t work , and her son has the family ’ s only cellphone .
So she didn ’ t hear the news that the president was sick with COVID-19 until Friday morning at her selling post , full of children ’ s clothing , religious figurines and other trinkets .
She wasn ’ t particularly surprised .
She just sighed tiredly : “ Things are happening that I ’ ve never seen in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not vote .
If she had the choice , the president ’ s diagnosis might push her to give up street vending , because she comes in contact with so many people and it ’ s risky .
But it ’ s her only way to make a living , she said .
“ I have a lot of problems in my life , but I have faith in God , ” she said .
“ For us , the poor , all we have is to have faith in God.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she prays that they will use their power and go out to vote in November .
“ And don ’ t vote for Trump , ” she said with a laugh .
Caesar Benitez , 61 , was selling aguas frescas on Whittier Boulevard on Friday morning when a friend told him the news .
He said he hopes the president recovers and comes out of the sickness a changed man — but he doubts that will happen .
“ I don ’ t wish bad things for anyone , ” Benitez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I hope this will help him be more conscious of the reality people are living and that he puts himself in their shoes.
” He said he thinks Trump has been childish in his handling of the pandemic and has sought to minimize the threat , going as far as suggesting fewer tests would improve the situation .
“ It ’ s like trying to cover the sun with a single finger , ” Benitez said .
Some healthcare professionals and aid workers said they were not surprised that the president contracted the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social distancing while traveling extensively for his campaign .
“ I wish I could say that I am shocked , ” said Dr. Jamie Taylor , an intensive care doctor who played a major role opening the Los Angeles Surge Hospital at the former St. Vincent Medical center during the early days of the pandemic .
“ But of course , this was entirely predictable , and it is infuriating.
” Throughout the crisis , the president has not followed CDC guidelines , which ripples down to front-line healthcare workers who risk their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Not to mention the countless number of people who have been affected by the conditions of the pandemic , ” Taylor said .
Rev .
Nelson Rabell , a Lutheran minister in the San Joaquin Valley town of Lodi who has both been aiding undocumented farmworkers affected by the virus and supporting Black Lives Matter , said Friday that he will “ pray to God fervently ” that the president and first lady get well soon .
But he also believes that Trump “ created the culture of not wearing a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , and [ has been ] promoting false science and pseudoscience.
” “ Sadly , this is what you get , ” Rabell said .
“ I hope this is a teaching moment for the whole country to take this seriously.
” Rabell said the effect of Trump ’ s views can be seen on the streets of his town , which he describes as “ not a progressive city.
” Tensions have been growing in recent weeks between Trump supporters and those advocating for police reform in Lodi , leading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Rabell said , the economic impact of the coronavirus continues to devastate Latino essential workers in the area , who have been infected at high rates and some of whom are facing eviction as the virus continues to affect jobs .
“ Many of them are just desperate at this point , ” Rabell said .
Fresh from a “ perfect surf afternoon ” in Huntington Beach , Greg Mitre , carrying his longboard , said Trump deserved the diagnosis .
“ He ’ s playing with fire , rolling the dice @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If he ’ s going to be holding rallies and having people all around him , it ’ s expected .
The leader of our great country has been absolutely irresponsible.
” Mitre , a retired dockworker from San Pedro , is waiting to hear if members of the president ’ s Cabinet and those who often traveled with him on Air Force One and Marine One will soon test positive for the novel coronavirus .
“ I think it was pretty obvious that people who are wearing the mask , exercising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not come down with the disease , ” added Mitre , 63 .
“ Maybe some good will come of it and that the rest of the nation will start to realize that they better be careful and start wearing masks.
” There were also those skeptical that the president tested positive .
At Palisades Park along Ocean Avenue overlooking the beach , several people said reports of Trump ’ s illness were a hoax .
Lisa Koritsoglou , 48 , of Santa Monica , said a lot of people on her social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a campaign ploy .
They don ’ t believe he ’ s contracted it.
” “ He always lies to us , ” said Rosemary Dukelow , 64 , of Roseville , Calif. “ His doctors always lie to us.
” Dukelow is a longtime volunteer for the Democratic Party in conservative Placer County .
In recent weeks , she has helped people get yard signs for Biden and said several have been defaced or stolen .
“ There are a lot of good reasons for him to lie to us about this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would get out the debates , he might get a sympathy vote , he could hide out in his bedroom for a while and have a miracle recovery and say it ’ s hydroxychloroquine.
” Landon Wolf , chairman of the Placer County Young Republicans , said it ’ s a shame how divided people are , even over the virus .
“ Everything is very tribal , ” he said .
“ With seemingly so much chaos going on , you come back to your tribe .
Even if your guy isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world , he ’ s your guy , and both sides feel that way right now.
” The battle over the acknowledgement and respect of the coronavirus ’ destructive power has been playing out in the life of 33-year-old Mar Vista resident Kurtis Sundblom since mid-March .
In his Westside community , masks are abundant , social distancing is respected and the COVID-19 threat is real .
But Sundblom grew up in the Inland Empire , and two weeks ago he visited family and dined along Redland ’ s trendy State Street , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cream shops .
“ There were so many people walking down the street without masks and stopping and talking to each other , ” he said .
When Sundblom learned of the president and first lady ’ s diagnosis on Friday morning , he said , his thoughts drifted toward the lack of concern he ’ s seen from too many individuals .
“ When I first saw the news , I thought about the disregard so many people have toward one another and the lack of respect in a public space , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want to believe in wearing a mask , that ’ s fine , but at what point do you recognize your responsibility to protect others in society ?
” Still , some supporters of the president expressed little concern Friday , framing the virus as a minor illness , overblown by media and critics , as the president has done for months .
Jules Adger , a retiree who lives in Brea , believes that by Oct. 9 or 10 , the president will be back to good health and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use masks “ because more harm will come to you by breathing back your own oxygen.
” He said he has faith that the first lady , along with her husband , “ will snap out of it.
” “ His timing was perfect because he ’ s going to show the nation that he will recover so quickly — just in time for the election , ” Adger said as he walked with his dog , Gizmo , along the colorful pier in Huntington Beach .
“ Oh no , he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the owner of a bouncy house business in Northern California that has been decimated by state restrictions , said sarcastically .
“ Remember , 20 million people were supposed to die in the first two weeks , ” he exaggerated .
The global death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic surpassed 1 million on Monday .
Times staff writers Anita Chabria , Gale Holland and Thomas Curwen contributed to this report .

Alex Wigglesworth, Alejandra Reyes-Velarde, Sarah Parvini, Andrew J. Campa, Hailey Branson-Potts, Anh Do

President Trump as he returned from a fundraiser at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club on Thursday.
It’s been a banner year for chaos.
A global health pandemic. A faltering economy. Social upheaval. Record-breaking heat waves and wildfires.
And now, in the latest destabilizing twist, a commander in chief who has fallen victim to one of the most serious health threats faced by a sitting U.S. president in modern history.
“If you didn’t think 2020 couldn’t get any more crazy, here we are,” said Nick Dokoozlian, a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder who is pursuing his studies remotely from his native Modesto because of the pandemic.
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Dokoozlian had just finished watching Thursday Night Football and had turned his attention to baseball when an alert popped up on his phone that President Trump and the first lady had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Shocked, he immediately called his mother to share the news.
“This just reinforces that we need to continue to wear masks and be vigilant at all times,” he said. “In California, things are starting to open back up a little bit, but we still need to be cautious. This can really hit anyone.”
Dokoozlian, 21, who is a state captain for the organization Gen Z GOP, said that he prays the president and First Lady Melania Trump — and all others affected — recover from the virus.
“I’m really hoping people don’t start to point fingers right now,” he said. “You can question the president’s handling of coronavirus, but we need to rally behind him and everyone else infected.”
About 300 miles south in Los Angeles, much of the public reaction was less charitable. Many people pointed out that before contracting the virus, Trump repeatedly downplayed its severity and mocked precautions to slow its spread.
Suzie Salinas, 54, of Bell recalled that just days ago, during the presidential debate, Trump poked fun at Democratic candidate Joe Biden for wearing masks frequently.
“That’s what he gets for making fun of people,” said Salinas, who was wearing a mask and carrying a fresh box of disinfecting wipes as she exited a Target in East Los Angeles.
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She said she’s disappointed that while Latinos in East and Southeast L.A. have been hit hard despite doing their best to stay healthy, the country’s leader didn’t set an example.
“We’re following [the rules], how come he can’t. He’s not special. He’s a human being like everybody else. We bleed the same color.
“You don’t see him going to buy Clorox wipes.”
Jonathan Diaz, a 23-year-old Army veteran, shared similar sentiments.
“I’m not saying I’m happy he got it,” Diaz said. “I’m sure now he sees this is not a joke.”
The East L.A. resident has taken the virus seriously since returning from a deployment in South Korea a couple of months ago. One of his family members at one point was hospitalized with COVID-19 and declared dead — but miraculously recovered.
But Diaz watched the president dismiss the virus repeatedly and didn’t see him wear a mask during news conferences and other appearances.
“It’s kind of ironic,” he said. “You could tell he didn’t believe in it and he was careless on his part.”
Maricela González goes to sleep early and wakes up early to arrive at her spot on César Chávez Avenue at 5 a.m.
Her TV doesn’t work, and her son has the family’s only cellphone. So she didn’t hear the news that the president was sick with COVID-19 until Friday morning at her selling post, full of children’s clothing, religious figurines and other trinkets.
She wasn’t particularly surprised. She just sighed tiredly: “Things are happening that I’ve never seen in my life.”
An undocumented immigrant, González cannot vote. If she had the choice, the president’s diagnosis might push her to give up street vending, because she comes in contact with so many people and it’s risky. But it’s her only way to make a living, she said.
“I have a lot of problems in my life, but I have faith in God,” she said. “For us, the poor, all we have is to have faith in God.”
As for other, more privileged residents, she prays that they will use their power and go out to vote in November.
“And don’t vote for Trump,” she said with a laugh.
Caesar Benitez, 61, was selling aguas frescas on Whittier Boulevard on Friday morning when a friend told him the news. He said he hopes the president recovers and comes out of the sickness a changed man — but he doubts that will happen.
“I don’t wish bad things for anyone,” Benitez said. “I can say that I hope this will help him be more conscious of the reality people are living and that he puts himself in their shoes.”
He said he thinks Trump has been childish in his handling of the pandemic and has sought to minimize the threat, going as far as suggesting fewer tests would improve the situation. “It’s like trying to cover the sun with a single finger,” Benitez said.
Some healthcare professionals and aid workers said they were not surprised that the president contracted the virus because he has eschewed masks and social distancing while traveling extensively for his campaign.
“I wish I could say that I am shocked,” said Dr. Jamie Taylor, an intensive care doctor who played a major role opening the Los Angeles Surge Hospital at the former St. Vincent Medical center during the early days of the pandemic. “But of course, this was entirely predictable, and it is infuriating.”
Throughout the crisis, the president has not followed CDC guidelines, which ripples down to front-line healthcare workers who risk their lives every day to combat this virus. “Not to mention the countless number of people who have been affected by the conditions of the pandemic,” Taylor said.
Rev. Nelson Rabell, a Lutheran minister in the San Joaquin Valley town of Lodi who has both been aiding undocumented farmworkers affected by the virus and supporting Black Lives Matter, said Friday that he will “pray to God fervently” that the president and first lady get well soon. But he also believes that Trump “created the culture of not wearing a mask within the White House and across the country, and [has been] promoting false science and pseudoscience.”
“Sadly, this is what you get,” Rabell said. “I hope this is a teaching moment for the whole country to take this seriously.”
Rabell said the effect of Trump’s views can be seen on the streets of his town, which he describes as “not a progressive city.” Tensions have been growing in recent weeks between Trump supporters and those advocating for police reform in Lodi, leading to confrontations. At the same time, Rabell said, the economic impact of the coronavirus continues to devastate Latino essential workers in the area, who have been infected at high rates and some of whom are facing eviction as the virus continues to affect jobs.
“Many of them are just desperate at this point,” Rabell said.
Fresh from a “perfect surf afternoon” in Huntington Beach, Greg Mitre, carrying his longboard, said Trump deserved the diagnosis. “He’s playing with fire, rolling the dice, and eventually, he got it. If he’s going to be holding rallies and having people all around him, it’s expected. The leader of our great country has been absolutely irresponsible.”
Mitre, a retired dockworker from San Pedro, is waiting to hear if members of the president’s Cabinet and those who often traveled with him on Air Force One and Marine One will soon test positive for the novel coronavirus.
“I think it was pretty obvious that people who are wearing the mask, exercising caution, exercising social distance, will not come down with the disease,” added Mitre, 63. “Maybe some good will come of it and that the rest of the nation will start to realize that they better be careful and start wearing masks.”
There were also those skeptical that the president tested positive.
At Palisades Park along Ocean Avenue overlooking the beach, several people said reports of Trump’s illness were a hoax.
Lisa Koritsoglou, 48, of Santa Monica, said a lot of people on her social media feeds “think it’s a campaign ploy. They don’t believe he’s contracted it.”
“He always lies to us,” said Rosemary Dukelow, 64, of Roseville, Calif. “His doctors always lie to us.”
Dukelow is a longtime volunteer for the Democratic Party in conservative Placer County. In recent weeks, she has helped people get yard signs for Biden and said several have been defaced or stolen.
“There are a lot of good reasons for him to lie to us about this,” she said. “He would get out the debates, he might get a sympathy vote, he could hide out in his bedroom for a while and have a miracle recovery and say it’s hydroxychloroquine.”
Landon Wolf, chairman of the Placer County Young Republicans, said it’s a shame how divided people are, even over the virus.
“Everything is very tribal,” he said. “With seemingly so much chaos going on, you come back to your tribe. Even if your guy isn’t the greatest guy in the world, he’s your guy, and both sides feel that way right now.”
The battle over the acknowledgement and respect of the coronavirus’ destructive power has been playing out in the life of 33-year-old Mar Vista resident Kurtis Sundblom since mid-March.
In his Westside community, masks are abundant, social distancing is respected and the COVID-19 threat is real.
But Sundblom grew up in the Inland Empire, and two weeks ago he visited family and dined along Redland’s trendy State Street, lined with eateries, bars and ice cream shops.
“There were so many people walking down the street without masks and stopping and talking to each other,” he said.
When Sundblom learned of the president and first lady’s diagnosis on Friday morning, he said, his thoughts drifted toward the lack of concern he’s seen from too many individuals.
“When I first saw the news, I thought about the disregard so many people have toward one another and the lack of respect in a public space,” Sundblom said. “If you don’t want to believe in wearing a mask, that’s fine, but at what point do you recognize your responsibility to protect others in society?”
Still, some supporters of the president expressed little concern Friday, framing the virus as a minor illness, overblown by media and critics, as the president has done for months.
Jules Adger, a retiree who lives in Brea, believes that by Oct. 9 or 10, the president will be back to good health and that there’s no need to use masks “because more harm will come to you by breathing back your own oxygen.”
He said he has faith that the first lady, along with her husband, “will snap out of it.”
“His timing was perfect because he’s going to show the nation that he will recover so quickly — just in time for the election,” Adger said as he walked with his dog, Gizmo, along the colorful pier in Huntington Beach.
“Oh no, he has the flu,” Jim Edmonds, the owner of a bouncy house business in Northern California that has been decimated by state restrictions, said sarcastically. “Remember, 20 million people were supposed to die in the first two weeks,” he exaggerated.
The global death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic surpassed 1 million on Monday.
Times staff writers Anita Chabria, Gale Holland and Thomas Curwen contributed to this report.


latimes--2020-10-02--California surpasses 16,000 COVID-19 deaths

Nearly eight months after California officially recorded its first death related to COVID-19 , more than than 16,000 others have died at the hands of the virus .
The state crossed the tragic threshold Friday as the country turned its attention to the health of the president and first lady after it was announced at 1 a.m. EDT Friday that they tested positive for the coronavirus .
President Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday night after White House officials reported that he had “ mild ” COVID-19 symptoms .
He is expected to remain hospitalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and older have accounted for roughly 74 % of deaths in the state , and Latino people have comprised the largest share , roughly 48 % of deaths .
With medical therapies and vaccines still developing , social distancing protections , use of face coverings and testing have been the only true tools to combat against the spread of the virus — topics that were discussed briefly during Tuesday night ’ s presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden .
Biden and his wife Jill tested negative for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ debate .
Health experts say it can take up to seven days for the infection to be detected in a person ’ s system , and several specialists said Biden “ isn ’ t out of the woods yet.
” Since the pandemic began , California has reported more than 822,700 infections — more than any other state .
Though daily case counts and hospitalizations have declined in recent weeks , officials have forecast an 89 % increase in the latter by Oct. 25 .
Following a surge in emergency room visits and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in cases , the statewide projected transmission rate of the virus has risen .
In Los Angeles County , officials are preparing for a possible surge , warning that intensive care capacity could become strained in upcoming weeks if a spike in cases does occur .
The assessment is based on the county ’ s projected transmission rate , which currently sits at 1 — a metric that relies on the understanding that people ’ s actions remain constant .
“ If our behavior does not remain constant , we ’ ll see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr. Christina Ghaly said Wednesday .
The county recently gave the green light for more sectors to reopen , despite warnings that COVID-19 numbers could rise again in the near future , requiring a pullback .
Nail salons were given the go ahead to resume indoor operations Thursday , the county ’ s school waiver program and outdoor operations at card rooms will be allowed to resume Monday , and indoor shopping malls will be able to follow suit Wednesday .
L.A. County , which reported 21 additional coronavirus related deaths and 1,324 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bulk of the state ’ s total infections and deaths .
The majority of people who have died had underlying conditions .
Hypertension and diabetes are the most common such conditions and have factored in more than half the county ’ s deaths .
Neurologic conditions and cardiovascular disease are also common in victims , officials have said .
Weight , age and gender have played a major role in a person ’ s risk for developing serious symptoms of COVID-19 .
Obese men 65 and older are especially vulnerable .
Those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Trump , who is 74 and considered obese .
However , even though all races and backgrounds have been struck by the virus , Black and Latino people , Pacific Islanders and the poor have been disproportionately affected , largely due to longstanding lack of medical access compared to members of majority white or wealthy communities .
Under a new state requirement , California counties will not be allowed to reopen further until infections among those hardest-hit groups are reduced .
“ This isn ’ t just a matter of higher cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue of life and death that is hurting all Californians , ” the state ’ s acting public health officer , Dr. Erica Pan , said in a news release .
“ An all-community , cross-sector approach to work together to slow the transmission of COVID in all populations will help ensure we reopen our economy safely , protect our essential workers and support our local partners.
” The equity requirement will undoubtedly affect L.A. County , and several others in Southern California .

People gather in Livingston, Calif., in September for a candlelight vigil for eight workers at a local Foster Farms plant who died of COVID-19.
Nearly eight months after California officially recorded its first death related to COVID-19, more than 16,000 others have died at the hands of the virus.
The state crossed the tragic threshold Friday as the country turned its attention to the health of the president and first lady after it was announced at 1 a.m. EDT Friday that they tested positive for the coronavirus. President Trump was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Friday night after White House officials reported that he had “mild” COVID-19 symptoms. He is expected to remain hospitalized for a few days.
Patients 65 and older have accounted for roughly 74% of deaths in the state, and Latino people have comprised the largest share, roughly 48% of deaths.
With medical therapies and vaccines still developing, social distancing protections, use of face coverings and testing have been the only true tools to combat against the spread of the virus — topics that were discussed briefly during Tuesday night’s presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.
Biden and his wife Jill tested negative for the virus Friday, three days after the debate. Health experts say it can take up to seven days for the infection to be detected in a person’s system, and several specialists said Biden “isn’t out of the woods yet.”
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Since the pandemic began, California has reported more than 822,700 infections — more than any other state. Though daily case counts and hospitalizations have declined in recent weeks, officials have forecast an 89% increase in the latter by Oct. 25. Following a surge in emergency room visits and a slight, but notable, increase in cases, the statewide projected transmission rate of the virus has risen.
In Los Angeles County, officials are preparing for a possible surge, warning that intensive care capacity could become strained in upcoming weeks if a spike in cases does occur. The assessment is based on the county’s projected transmission rate, which currently sits at 1 — a metric that relies on the understanding that people’s actions remain constant.
“If our behavior does not remain constant, we’ll see that change,” Human Services Director Dr. Christina Ghaly said Wednesday.
The county recently gave the green light for more sectors to reopen, despite warnings that COVID-19 numbers could rise again in the near future, requiring a pullback. Nail salons were given the go ahead to resume indoor operations Thursday, the county’s school waiver program and outdoor operations at card rooms will be allowed to resume Monday, and indoor shopping malls will be able to follow suit Wednesday.
L.A. County, which reported 21 additional coronavirus related deaths and 1,324 new cases Friday, has accounted for the bulk of the state’s total infections and deaths. The majority of people who have died had underlying conditions. Hypertension and diabetes are the most common such conditions and have factored in more than half the county’s deaths. Neurologic conditions and cardiovascular disease are also common in victims, officials have said.
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Weight, age and gender have played a major role in a person’s risk for developing serious symptoms of COVID-19. Obese men 65 and older are especially vulnerable. Those factors are currently under scrutiny in regards to Trump, who is 74 and considered obese.
However, even though all races and backgrounds have been struck by the virus, Black and Latino people, Pacific Islanders and the poor have been disproportionately affected, largely due to longstanding lack of medical access compared to members of majority white or wealthy communities.
Under a new state requirement, California counties will not be allowed to reopen further until infections among those hardest-hit groups are reduced.
“This isn’t just a matter of higher cases in these communities — it is an issue of life and death that is hurting all Californians,” the state’s acting public health officer, Dr. Erica Pan, said in a news release. “An all-community, cross-sector approach to work together to slow the transmission of COVID in all populations will help ensure we reopen our economy safely, protect our essential workers and support our local partners.”
The equity requirement will undoubtedly affect L.A. County, and several others in Southern California.


latimes--2020-10-02--4-pound mountain lion cub plucked from Zogg fire with burned paws, singed whiskers

Amid grim news from the Northern California fire zone , one furry sight brought yips of excitement this week when emergency responders rescued a lone mountain lion cub from the burn zone of the Zogg fire in Shasta County .
Despite singed whiskers and burned paws , the blue-eyed cub dubbed Capt .
Cal is full of personality and can be seen baring his teeth fiercely in photos .
“ He ’ s doing really well , ” said Erin Harrison , vice president of marketing for the Oakland Zoo , where Capt .
Cal is being kept .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s getting a little feistier .
He ’ s looking really good.
” When firefighters in Shasta County first spotted the baby , they mistook him for a house cat , said Issac Sanchez , a Cal Fire captain and spokesman .
He was wandering alone on Zogg Mine Road before taking refuge under a fallen tree .
When the fire crew took a closer look , they realized the animal was a mountain lion kitten .
Officials loaded the baby into a cardboard box and turned him over to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which transported him to the Oakland Zoo .
Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Kirsten Macintyre said that with its facilities and trained staff , the zoo is “ uniquely equipped to handle exactly this kind of case.
” At just 4 to 6 weeks old and weighing just under 4 pounds , Capt .
Cal is too young and small to return to the wild , Macintyre said .
Mountain lions typically stay close to their mothers for two years to learn how to hunt and survive .
Ideal circumstances would allow wild animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in their natural environment , but that isn ’ t always possible .
On Thursday , wildlife biologists announced that an experiment to get a cougar in the Santa Ana Mountains to adopt two orphaned cubs had failed .
The effort , which was intended to keep the babies wild , did not work , and the youngsters were placed in a sanctuary .
The zoo is working with UC Davis to give Capt .
Cal advanced wound treatment and will keep him until he heals , Harrison said .
Chest X-rays showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ And despite burns to his paw pads , the cub sustained no bone injuries , either .
Once healthy , he ’ ll go to a new home , such as a sanctuary or another zoo .
Two out-of-state organizations have already asked for him , Macintyre said .
“ Certainly the best situation would be to be able to return him to the wild , ” she said .
“ But a few can ’ t , [ and ] in some cases , the animal can be an ambassador for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become a household name in California wildfire prevention .
The doe-eyed cub ’ s new moniker ties into Cal Fire ’ s mountain lion mascot , which the department unveiled last year .
The mascot , a muscly cat in a yellow firefighter jacket , helps spread the message of wildfire preparedness and prevention with his motto : “ Safety starts with you.
” Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said responders occasionally find wildlife in the course of firefighting .
“ Not an overabundance , of course , because they ’ re smart @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said Friday .
Last month , police officers in Lincoln helped rescue a bear that had escaped the coincidentally named Bear fire in Butte County .
A biologist tranquilized the 350-pound animal , which walked into a creek and risked drowning , according to the Lincoln Police Department ’ s Facebook page .
Two officers helped drag the bear , suffering from some scratches , to safety .
He is now receiving treatment from California ’ s Department of Fish and Wildlife , along with another bear from the Zogg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bobcat fire , Macintyre said .
Last year , the department housed three bears and a mountain lion from the Thomas and Camp fires .
There is no way to gauge how many animals a fire season may be orphans , she said .
“ There ’ s nothing typical about this .
All bets are off , ” she said .
“ We ’ re just kind of at the beginning of the fire season right now , and we ’ ve already got three in our care .
And we expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acres have burned in the state in a historic year of firestorms , as crews continue battling roughly two dozen major blazes , including the Zogg fire .
That conflagration had burned 56,018 acres as of Friday morning and was 46 % contained .
The blaze has killed four people and destroyed 159 structures in Shasta County .

Amid grim news from the Northern California fire zone, one furry sight brought yips of excitement this week when emergency responders rescued a lone mountain lion cub from the burn zone of the Zogg fire in Shasta County.
Despite singed whiskers and burned paws, the blue-eyed cub dubbed Capt. Cal is full of personality and can be seen baring his teeth fiercely in photos.
“He’s doing really well,” said Erin Harrison, vice president of marketing for the Oakland Zoo, where Capt. Cal is being kept. “He’s continuing to eat. He’s getting a little feistier. He’s looking really good.”
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The mountain lion cub dubbed Capt. Cal roars from the back of a cardboard box.
(Shasta County Sheriff’s Office)
When firefighters in Shasta County first spotted the baby, they mistook him for a house cat, said Issac Sanchez, a Cal Fire captain and spokesman. He was wandering alone on Zogg Mine Road before taking refuge under a fallen tree. When the fire crew took a closer look, they realized the animal was a mountain lion kitten.
Officials loaded the baby into a cardboard box and turned him over to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, which transported him to the Oakland Zoo.
Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Kirsten Macintyre said that with its facilities and trained staff, the zoo is “uniquely equipped to handle exactly this kind of case.”
At just 4 to 6 weeks old and weighing just under 4 pounds, Capt. Cal is too young and small to return to the wild, Macintyre said. Mountain lions typically stay close to their mothers for two years to learn how to hunt and survive.
Ideal circumstances would allow wild animals to be returned — or kept — in their natural environment, but that isn’t always possible. On Thursday, wildlife biologists announced that an experiment to get a cougar in the Santa Ana Mountains to adopt two orphaned cubs had failed. The effort, which was intended to keep the babies wild, did not work, and the youngsters were placed in a sanctuary.
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The zoo is working with UC Davis to give Capt. Cal advanced wound treatment and will keep him until he heals, Harrison said. Chest X-rays showed no lung damage from smoke inhalation. And despite burns to his paw pads, the cub sustained no bone injuries, either.
Once healthy, he’ll go to a new home, such as a sanctuary or another zoo. Two out-of-state organizations have already asked for him, Macintyre said.
“Certainly the best situation would be to be able to return him to the wild,” she said. “But a few can’t, [and] in some cases, the animal can be an ambassador for its species.”
Capt. Cal will stay in the care of the Oakland Zoo until he heals, officials said. (Oakland Zoo)
Capt. Cal has already become a household name in California wildfire prevention. The doe-eyed cub’s new moniker ties into Cal Fire’s mountain lion mascot, which the department unveiled last year.
The mascot, a muscly cat in a yellow firefighter jacket, helps spread the message of wildfire preparedness and prevention with his motto: “Safety starts with you.”
Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said responders occasionally find wildlife in the course of firefighting.
“Not an overabundance, of course, because they’re smart enough to hightail it out of there,” he said Friday.
Last month, police officers in Lincoln helped rescue a bear that had escaped the coincidentally named Bear fire in Butte County. A biologist tranquilized the 350-pound animal, which walked into a creek and risked drowning, according to the Lincoln Police Department’s Facebook page.
Two officers helped drag the bear, suffering from some scratches, to safety. He is now receiving treatment from California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with another bear from the Zogg fire and a mountain lion from the Bobcat fire, Macintyre said.
Last year, the department housed three bears and a mountain lion from the Thomas and Camp fires. There is no way to gauge how many animals a fire season may be orphans, she said.
“There’s nothing typical about this. All bets are off,” she said. “We’re just kind of at the beginning of the fire season right now, and we’ve already got three in our care. And we expect to get more.”
Nearly 4 million acres have burned in the state in a historic year of firestorms, as crews continue battling roughly two dozen major blazes, including the Zogg fire. That conflagration had burned 56,018 acres as of Friday morning and was 46% contained. The blaze has killed four people and destroyed 159 structures in Shasta County.