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Monday, March 16, 2020

LIVE BLOG: Councilman to isolate himself after Coastal Commission colleague tests positive for COVID-19 - Long Beach Post

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The Post staff will be updating this blog with the latest information and news on the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, that first appeared in Wuhan, China, and has now spread to multiple countries.

Long Beach to close bars, wineries

7:44 p.m. Sunday | Long Beach will close bars, wineries and other drinking and entertainment establishments in accordance with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s directives hours earlier on Sunday in response to the spread of coronavirus.

The city will also limit the number of patrons that can be present in restaurants to half of the building occupancy in order to maximize social distancing.

“Governor Newsom and state officials have been clear, we need to close bars and limit access to restaurants,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement this evening. “Restaurants will continue to play a key role in food distribution, especially as we focus on to-go and pick-up order options. This is a health crisis and we need to take serious measures.”

Read the full story here.

— Staff report

City releases plan to protect the homeless from coronavirus

5:25 p.m. Sunday | Hours after the governor announced extraordinary measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 statewide, including procuring motels and hotels to house the homeless, the city released its own measures to protect its most vulnerable.

While some city facilities will temporarily close, its winter shelter, Multi-Service Center and safe parking program will remain open.

The city’s homeless services personnel will also begin distributing sanitation kits to the homeless.

City officials said they are also working to identify “isolation rooms” to house homeless individuals exhibiting symptoms. Should the need arise, the city would also pay for the cost of quarantine.

The city will also:

  • Install soap dispensers, handwashing stations or hand sanitizer stations at strategic places citywide, including public restrooms.
  • Sent outreach teams to provide direct, in-person services and educate the community about COVID-19, including the symptoms and what to do if they begin experiencing them.
  • At the winter shelter and Multi-Service Center, disinfect frequently touched objects and provide masks to coughing clients as well as install hand sanitizer and hand-washing stations and post educational signage in multiple languages. Shower services will continue with social distancing protocols in place.
  • Institute precautions for employees providing in-person services to the homeless, including observing social distancing, wearing masks and increasing sanitation procedures before and after each interaction.

“The COVID-19 outbreak has compounded what was already a dire situation for persons experiencing homelessness,” said Deputy City Manager Teresa Chandler. “Although we are not aware of any COVID-19 cases among persons experiencing homelessness, we stand ready to respond if such a case presents itself to any of our facilities or if we become aware of that situation in an encampment.”

— Stephanie Rivera

Governor calls for closure of bars, wineries; home isolation of those over 65

2:55 p.m. Sunday | California Gov. Gavin Newsom Sunday called for extraordinary measures to combat the coronavirus, including the home isolation of everyone over 65 and the closure of bars, nightclubs, wineries and brew pubs.

“We consider this a non-essential function,” the governor said of drinking establishments. “I have all the confidence in the world this guidance … will take shape.”

The state also will reduce current occupancy in restaurants by half to keep people farther away from each other, Newsom said at a news conference. It comes as the Illinois governor shut down all bars and restaurants and officials elsewhere said they were considering similar restrictions.

Read the full story here. 

-Associated Press

Councilman to isolate himself after Coastal Commission colleague tests positive for COVID-19

1:40 p.m. Sunday | Seventh District Councilman Roberto Uranga announced today that he and his wife will isolate themselves for two weeks after his colleague on the California Coastal Commission revealed he tested positive for COVID-19.

In a post to his social media channels Saturday night, Chula Vista Councilman Steve Padilla, who is president of the Coastal Commission, revealed that he tested positive for the coronavirus.

Uranga attended the commission hearings last Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Santa Cruz where Padilla was also present.

“While I did not have any close contact with Mr. Padilla, I communicated with our Department of Health staff, and although I have no symptoms, the recommendation is for me and my wife to self-isolate and ‘home stay’ for two weeks” Uranga said in an email to constituents.

Uranga said his council office staff will also follow social distancing procedures and will be available to assist via phone and email at 562-570-7777 and [email protected].

— Stephanie Rivera

Still only 5 positive tests, but Long Beach now monitoring 100 people for possible coronavirus exposure

12:30 p.m. Sunday | Long Beach health officials said they’re now monitoring about 100 people for possible exposure to the new coronavirus, but they haven’t confirmed any new cases since Saturday when they reported the city’s fifth case of COVID-19.

Saturday’s new case was the first of “community spread” in the city, meaning officials don’t know where the patient was likely exposed to the virus.

Authorities say they’re continually investigating recent contacts of anyone who’s tested positive, and they’re getting in touch with anyone who may have been exposed.

Officials say they’ve ramped up screening after receiving test kits and private labs are now running tests as ordered by healthcare providers, but it’s unclear exactly how many people have been tested because only positive results must be reported to the Long Beach Health Department, according to authorities.

Tests, however, are not widely available to everyone yet. If you think you may have been exposed to the coronavirus, health officials want you to call—not visit—your healthcare provider. You can also call the city’s information line at 562-570-INFO (4636).

Across all of Los Angeles County, there are 69 confirmed coronavirus cases. That includes 15 new cases the LA County Department of Public Health announced Sunday.

Health officials say they expect to see more cases, but they’re urging everyone remain calm and keep taking everyday steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system.

“The city urges people to practice social distancing, including avoiding crowds of people and keeping at least six feet of distance from others,” Long Beach officials said in a statement. “Residents of Long Beach should continue to practice preventive measures such as frequent hand washing, disinfecting high-touch surfaces regularly, staying home when sick, not touching one’s face with unwashed hands and covering one’s coughs and sneezes.”

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Long Beach to close public buildings, waive fees, modify meetings

7:48 p.m. Saturday | Long Beach is suspending penalties for late fees and citations, closing public buildings and making other modifications to meeting schedules and activities in hopes of stemming the spread of the coronavirus, officials announced Saturday.

See a list of all the changes here.

— Melissa Evans

More info on how kids can get meals on Monday

5:38 p.m. Saturday | The mayor released more detailed information Saturday about how kids can get free meals starting Monday, when Long Beach Unified schools will begin a five-week closure.

For the first week of the closure, meals will be offered free at breakfast and lunch to children age 1-18 at all LBUSD locations, except the California Academy for Math and Science. After the first week, the district will evaluate its meal services and revise as necessary.

Breakfast will be served from 8 to 9 a.m., and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Children must be present to receive a meal. No paperwork will be required. The meals will be available to all children no matter what school the child attends.

— Staff report

Boys & Girls Club to offer childcare for members, emergency workers

5:09 p.m. Saturday | The Boys & Girls Club of Long Beach is offering childcare for members and emergency workers starting Monday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.— the same day that schools in Long Beach Unified will close for five weeks.

Locations include the Eastman Club (700 E. Del Amo Blvd.), the Petrolane Club (1920 Lemon Ave.) and the Westside Club (1835 W. Willard). for information, call 626-705-9770.

Long Beach reports first coronavirus case with no known source

4 p.m. Saturday | A fifth person has tested positive for the coronavirus in Long Beach, and it is the city’s first case of COVID-19 where local officials don’t know where the person likely contracted the disease, authorities announced today.

Until now, Long Beach health officials had been able to track all of their cases back to likely points of exposure—such as foreign travel to an area where there was an outbreak.

The case involved a woman in her 60s who is stable condition at a local hospital.

Read the full story here.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Long Beach Pride postponed because of coronavirus outbreak

11:45 a.m. Saturday | Long Beach Pride has postponed its annual parade and festival after consulting with city officials about the coronavirus outbreak, the organization announced Saturday.

“It is with an abundance of caution that the Long Beach Pride Board has decided to postpone the 2020 Festival and Parade,” Pride President Denise Newman said. “Our commitment to the city of Long Beach and our entire community includes ensuring the health and well-being of citizens, attendees, artists, volunteers, staff, and vendors.”

Organizers said they will reschedule, but there’s so far no new tentative date for the festival, which had been scheduled for May 15-17.

Long Beach Pride is one of the biggest and oldest LGBTQ+ pride events in the nation. It annually draws tens of thousands of celebrants to Downtown. This year was set to be Pride’s 37th annual festival.

Organizers asked everyone to check longbeachpride.com and the Long Beach Pride Facebook page for updates. They said refunds will be handled by the ticket provider See Tickets.

Long Beach Pride parade on Sunday, May 19, 2019. Photo by Sarahi Apaez.

— Staff reports

Carnival cancels cruises for North American ships; crews to remain on board

11:33 a.m. Saturday | Carnival Cruise Line announced Friday that it will be pausing operations across its North American-based fleet of ships, effective immediately, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Ships currently at sea will continue their voyages and return to their home ports as scheduled, officials said. Operations are scheduled to resume Friday, April 10.

“While Carnival has not had a diagnosed case linked to our operation we realize this situation is bigger than the cruise industry and we will continue to do our part to support public officials to manage and contain this unprecedented public health challenge,” Carnival Cruise said in a statement.

Booked guests will be contacted directly regarding their cruise and their options. Officials previously announced relaxed cancellation policies.

Vance Gulliksen, spokesman for Carnival Cruise, said crew members are remaining on board and will continue to be paid.

The cruise ship Carnival Panorama hours before setting sail for a 6 day trip to Mexico. March 8, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr

Gulliksen said Carnival is working with authorities to see where ships can dock, noting that some ships will remain in their regular home ports.

Long Beach is home to three of the 25 cruise ships that Carnival operates: Panorama, Inspiration and Imagination. The voyages, which depart from every coast in the U.S., along with Canada, Puerto Rico and Barbados, can last from two to 16 days.

Carnival officials said that Carnival Inspiration, which arrives in Long Beach Monday, will remain docked in Long Beach while Carnival Imagination, which arrives on Sunday, will anchor at sea. Officials are still trying to figure out which port to send Carnival Panorama, which arrived in Long Beach on Saturday.

The ships sail to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, The Bahamas, Europe and Hawaii.

— Stephanie Rivera

Coronavirus is changing who gets arrested in Long Beach

10 a.m. Saturday | Long Beach police officers may be taking fewer people to jail for a specific set of minor crimes in order to limit possible exposure to the coronavirus and “protect the health and safety of both jail staff and individuals in our custody,” officials said today.

Anyone arrested for a low-level misdemeanor who is showing cold or flu-like symptoms likely won’t be put through the booking process at the city jail, LBPD spokeswoman Jennifer De Prez said. Instead, officers are citing them in the field, something police could already do if they decided it was necessary. That category includes people driving with a suspended license or in possession of drug paraphernalia.

If someone already in jail displays cold or flu-like symptoms, they are being moved to an isolated location in the jail and assessed by nurses. They could be transferred to a local hospital for additional assessment or treatment, based on what the nurses see, De Prez said. Once they are medically cleared from the hospital, they will be moved to the custody of the Los Angeles County Jail, which is run by the sheriff’s department.

The booking area, common areas and isolation locations are all being cleaned and sanitized multiple times a day, she said.

“LBPD will also continue to follow workplace guidelines set forth by the City of Long Beach Human Resources under the guidance of the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services and Board of State and Community Corrections in response to COVID-19,” De Prez said.

File photo of a Long Beach police officer at a crime scene on July 11, 2019. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

File photo of a Long Beach police officer at a crime scene on July 11, 2019. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

— Valerie Osier

City Council and commissions will meet by phone until further notice

9:10 a.m. Saturday | The Long Beach City Council chambers will be open on Tuesday, but there may not be anyone behind the dais.

The mayor and City Council members will attend the March 17 meeting by teleconference, officials announced Friday. Mayor Robert Garcia said this change will continue at least through April and will apply to all city commissions as well.

The council chambers at City Hall will remain open to the public to watch the meeting and make comments on agenda items, but the city “strongly encourages” people who want to voice their opinions to submit comments electronically through the city’s eComment system. Anyone can also email [email protected] with comments.

The change comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a wide-reaching executive order to help with emergency response to COVID-19. The order includes suspending some portions of the Brown Act, the state’s open meetings law.

The Long Beach City Council chambers. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Here’s what happens now that LBUSD schools are closed

5:15 p.m. Friday | City officials on Friday announced Long Beach Unified School District campuses would be closed for the next five weeks. With spring break factored in, students will spend 19 normal school days at home.

School officials are scrambling to work out a number of logistical details, including how students will access educational materials and turn in work.

The plans include students doing classwork online or being given homework packets and textbooks to take home, LBUSD Chris Steinhauser said at a Friday afternoon press conference.

“This was a very difficult decision,” Steinhauser said, but school and health officials thought was necessary to slow the spread of the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19.

So what happens now?

Full story here.

— Valerie Osier

Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific to close Saturday

4:55 p.m. Friday | The Aquarium of the Pacific will close for the rest of the month beginning Saturday due to coronavirus concerns. Staff members will continue to work and be paid.

“We will be offering a variety of online programming so that the public may continue to engage with our exhibits and animals and learn about our ocean,” the Aquarium said in a statement. Visit aquariumofpacific.org for more info.

— Kelly Puente

City Council to consider emergency measures protecting residents, businesses during outbreak

2:54 p.m. Friday| Long Beach officials could take sweeping action Tuesday night to protect small businesses and residents negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by starting the implementation processes of eviction moratoriums and financial aid packages to potentially keep businesses afloat.

The item is expected to be submitted by a quartet of City Council members Friday afternoon who said that the measures outlined in the request were designed to help keep businesses from closing shop and people in their homes while social distancing measures force some people to miss work to avoid becoming infected.

Potential emergency ordinances could be voted on as early as March 24. If passed the ordinances would be in effect for 30 days or until emergency proclamations are lifted.

Read full story here.

— Jason Ruiz

LBUSD to close schools for more than a month

2:10 p.m. Friday | Long Beach Unified is shutting down its schools for the next five weeks to slow the spread of the coronavirus, district officials announce Friday.

LBUSD will close all of its campuses, which serve more than 72,000 students, starting Monday. Officials plan on reopening them April 20 after the district’s regularly scheduled spring break.

The decision came hours after the school districts in Los Angeles and San Diego—the two largest in the state—announced they were closing their campuses.

Read the full story here.

SoCal Gas suspends shutoffs during coronavirus outbreak

1:20 p.m. Friday | Southern California Gas Co. said Friday that, until further notice, they wouldn’t shut of service to any customers who can’t pay their bills.

“We understand that our customers may be worried about paying their upcoming natural gas bill at this time,” said Paul Goldstein, vice president of customer services at SoCalGas. “We want to help ease their concerns and continue to provide the reliable natural gas service they depend on to heat their homes and hot water and cook their food.”

The utility joins SoCal Edison and the Long Beach Water Department in pledging not to shut off services during the coronavirus outbreak.

Anyone who wants more information on how SoCalGas is responding to the coronavirus can visit socalgas.com/coronavirus.

— Staff reports

SCE says it won’t shut off power for unpaid bills during coronavirus outbreak

8:20 a.m. Friday | For the time being, SoCal Edison says it won’t shut off power to customers with unpaid bills.

“To help with potential financial challenges due to COVID-19, we’re temporarily suspending disconnections for customers unable to pay their electric bill,” the utility said on twitter. “As always, SCE can assist customers who need help paying their bills.”

Edison directed any customers with trouble paying their bill to the utility’s bill assistance program.

— Staff reports

Long Beach Water Department suspends water shutoffs to support ‘public health and cleanliness’

5:59 p.m. Thursday | The Long Beach Water Department announced it is suspending water shutoffs to support public health and cleanliness amid concerns over COVID-19.

“No one should fear losing their water service because they can’t pay a bill during this public health crisis,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in an email to community members.

City officials stressed that this respiratory disease outbreak has “no impact on the quality or supply of Long Beach’s tap water and should not disrupt water or sewer service” to customers.

The length of time for this suspension will follow guidance and declarations by health and safety officials, city officials said.

The water department says its following state and federal health and water quality guidelines related to the coronavirus, including any new regulations that are developed.

Garcia hinted at more actions benefiting residents in the future.

— Stephanie Rivera

Long Beach cancels Grand Prix for now, along with other events in wake of coronavirus concerns

5:00 p.m. Thursday | Under orders from city officials, organizers of the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach on Thursday cancelled next month’s 46th edition of the street race amid the growing fears of the coronavirus.

Just earlier this week, Grand Prix Chief Executive Officer Jim Michaelian said he expected the event to take place with heightened precautions for spectators. But city health officials opted to expand on a state mandate to cancel or postpone events with 250 or more people.

The city order applies to large-scale events including conventions, festivals, parades and sporting events.

Read the full story here.

— Kelly Puente

District events canceled, outside groups told not to meet at LBUSD schools 

1:52 p.m. Thursday | Long Beach Unified School District is canceling district events and meetings, even as it continues having normal classes, to slow the spread of coronavirus, school officials announced today. This includes all large indoor school events, Saturday programming (not including for-credit courses), all district professional development that causes staff to leave their campus and all nonessential district wide parent and community meetings.

The school district will also bar spectators from attending sporting events, although the games themselves will continue with only essential staff, the district said. It has also halted the rental of its school spaces for use by outside groups to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

The move includes dozens of churches that regularly rent and meet in school auditoriums when students are not on campus.

“Per District directive, there will be no permits until further notice to minimize the spread of COVID-19,” the district told local leaders in emails. “The remaining dates have been canceled and any fees charged will be refunded. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.”

The decision comes the day after state leaders recommended canceling or postponing any nonessential gatherings of more than 250 people until at least the end of the month.

“Our efforts this week have included increased the sanitizing of high-touch areas with approved antibacterial products, reminding families of the need to keep students home if they are demonstrating any flu-like symptoms, and reinforcing continued use of universal precautions, especially handwashing, to be used by all staff members, students and visitors,” Superintendent Chris Steinhauser said.

Custodial staff will be working to sanitize the schools over the weekend too, he said.

Four people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Long Beach, and health officials say there are surely more undiagnosed cases in the community.

The virus has prompted local colleges to move classes online to slow the spread of COVID-19 in an attempt to avoid overwhelming the healthcare system with a crush of cases.Local health officials, however, have not recommended canceling classes at Long Beach Unified, something that would have sweeping impacts on students, especially those who may not be able to access lessons online or who have parents who can’t miss work.

Some school closures, however, may be inevitable.

“It’s a question of when—not if—some California public schools will face closure because of COVID-19,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a written statement this week. “School districts must prepare for these scenarios so that parents and children can plan for what would happen if their local school faced closure.”

— Jeremiah Dobruck, Valerie Osier

Carnival Cruise relaxes cancellation policy but continues operations

12:02 p.m. Thursday | Carnival Cruise Line said it will continue to operate amid concerns over the coronavirus but it has relaxed its cancellation policy for guests wanting to reschedule their vacations.

“We continue to implement increased monitoring, screening and sanitation protocols to protect the health of our guests, crew and the residents of the destinations we serve,” Carnival Cruise said in an email to guests Wednesday evening. “Our measures are designed to be flexible to adapt to changing conditions and recommended best practices.”

On Thursday, Carnival officials said they opened their terminals for five departures scheduled for today and will embark those guests this afternoon.

“We continue to operate,” Carnival spokesman Vance Gullisken said in an email. “This is an unprecedented time in the cruise industry and the world.  We remain focused on protecting the health and safety of our guests.”

On Wednesday, Carnival announced updates to its cancellation terms creating flexibility especially for guests sailing this March and April.

Guests who keep their originally scheduled trips for departures from June to September will automatically receive credits to their cabins.

Access the cancellation policy here.

Meanwhile, Princess Cruise announced Thursday that it was suspending operations for 60 days due to the coronavirus.

Princess cruises currently underway and scheduled to end before March 17 will carry on as planned, the company said. Voyages scheduled to go beyond March 17 will be ended at the “most convenient location for guests.”

Affected customers can request a cash refund online, or can get credit for a free cruise.

Princess is owned by Carnival Corporation and headquartered in Santa Clarita. One of its ships, the Diamond Princess, recently had one of the largest clusters outside China of confirmed cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. More than 700 passengers and crew were infected.

On Wednesday, Viking Cruises officials announced that they are temporarily suspending cruises taking place between March 12 and April 30.

The cruise ship Carnival Panorama. March 8, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr

— Stephanie Rivera, City News Service

70 people now being monitored by Long Beach health officials

11:50 a.m. Thursday | Health officials haven’t confirmed any new cases of COVID-19 in Long Beach, the city announced today, but they’re now monitoring 70 people who may have been exposed to the coronavirus disease.

That number is up from the 50 people who were being monitored on Wednesday.

So far, only four people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Long Beach. Another eight have tested negative, and officials are waiting on results from six more tests.

Long Beach has so far had a limited ability to screen cases because of a lack of tests, health officials said earlier this week.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

How much would it cost if the Long Beach Grand Prix is cancelled?

11:15 a.m. Thursday | Could the city cancel its largest event?

Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach CEO Jim Michaelian on Thursday said organizers are “reviewing options” with the city and will make a decision “shortly” in the wake of coronavirus concerns.

The Grand Prix is expected to draw roughly 185,000 people to Downtown April 17-19. As the city’s single biggest event, it brings tens of millions of dollars to the Long Beach economy each year in hotel rooms, tax revenue and more.

A report released in 2018 from Beacon Economics showed that the 2017 Toyota Grand Prix brought $32.4 million for Long Beach and $63.4 million for Southern California.

Jobs could also be impacted. The Grand Prix supports 606 year-round jobs, with 351 of those in Long Beach, the economic impact report found. The event supported labor income for Southern California workers by $24.4 million, including $12.9 million in Long Beach.

It also generates $1.8 million in overall tax revenue, including $700,000 in Long Beach.

The tough decisions come as California public health leaders late Wednesday issued new recommendations that gatherings over 250 people should be postponed or cancelled until at least the end of the month. Swaths of conventions and major events, like Coachella and SXSW, have either postponed or cancelled, and the NBA has suspended its season.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia is expected to release more details on local impacts later today.

“In light of recent developments regarding fighting the COVID-19 virus including California Governor Newsom’s statement related to mass gatherings over the next few weeks, the Grand Prix is reviewing its options with regard to this year’s Acura Grand Prix,” Michaelian said in a statement. “This review will be conducted in conjunction with City of Long Beach officials, various racing sanctioning bodies and our key sponsors. A decision will be forthcoming shortly.”

— Kelly Puente

State leaders recommend ban on gatherings over 250 people amid coronavirus concerns

As concerns of the coronavirus continued to sweep across the nation, California public health leaders issued new recommendations this evening that large gatherings should be postponed or cancelled until at least the end of the month, Governor Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday night.

Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, who was among a group of civic leaders briefed by the Governor late Wednesday , said he supports the implementing the new recommendations within the city, with guidance on local impacts coming Thursday.

Read the full story here.

— Melissa Evans

COVID-19 pushing LBCC classes online starting next week

4:37 p.m. Wednesday | In response to rising concerns over the spread of COVID-19 on campus, the Long Beach Community College District will switch to temporary remote classes beginning next week according to a school spokesperson.

The move away from most face-to-face classes will start March 18 but how long the switch would be in place is still unknown said Josh Castellanos, the school’s executive director of public affairs and marketing. The announcement comes the same day that city officials reported a possible fourth confirmed case of the virus in the city and the World Health Organization officially categorized COVID-19 as a pandemic.

Castellanos said that the anticipated April 13 return date for students is still part of the discussion but the move to online teaching would last for at least a few weeks and having the switch last through the end of the semester has not been ruled out yet. Classes will go on as planned for the rest of this week and the start of next week before moving predominantly online starting Wednesday. A list of classes that might still be taught in person is being developed, he said.

Read the full story here.

— Jason Ruiz

Officials announce fourth case of coronavirus in Long Beach

3:30 p.m. Wednesday | A fourth person in Long Beach has tested positive for the coronavirus, and health officials are monitoring 50 other people, the city said Wednesday.

Officials are waiting for results on three more tests, and four other people have already tested negative, according to the city, which has been limited in its ability to screen suspected cases because of a lack of available tests.

City officials said the fourth person is a man who traveled internationally to a location where coronavirus was spreading. Officials didn’t immediately say whether he was in a hospital or isolating himself.

Read the full story here.

— Kelly Puente

Woman dies after being hospitalized for coronavirus, LA County’s first fatal case

12:30 p.m. Wednesday | Los Angeles County saw its first death linked to COVID-19, health officials announced Wednesday.

A woman in her 60s died shortly after being hospitalized for the coronavirus, according to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

Ferrer said the woman had underlying health conditions. She was visiting friends in Los Angeles County after traveling internationally, including a long layover in South Korea.

Ferrer also announced six more people had tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the county total to 27 including the three cases in Long Beach, which keeps its own tally because it has its own health department.

Among those six new cases is the county’s second case of community spread, meaning authorities weren’t able to track the source of the infection to a known hotbed of the coronavirus or a previously confirmed case, Ferrer said in a midday news conference.

Ferrer said she did not immediately have information on where the woman was hospitalized or what part of the county she’d been in, but she said cases of COVID-19 have been scattered throughout Los Angeles County.

“We also know there’s a lot of cases that have yet to be diagnosed,” she said.

Ferrer said now is the time for the most at-risk groups—elderly people, pregnant women and those with underlying health conditions—to start avoiding nonessential travel and crowds.

“This is the time to stop going to the theater or concerts or sporting events,” she said.

She said everyone needs to be prepared for the eventuality that there will be many more cases locally.

She urged everyone to be prepared to practice good hygiene and social distancing to slow the spread of the virus, which could help avoid overburdening the healthcare system.

“This is an ask of all of you,” she said.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

CSULB postpones annual Puvungna Pow Wow until November

12:05 p.m. Wednesday | Cal State Long Beach says it is postponing its 50th annual Puvungna Pow Wow until November due to the coronavirus.

It was originally scheduled to take place this weekend, March 14-15. It is now scheduled to take place Saturday, Nov. 7 through Sunday, Nov. 8, officials announced.

“After consultation from the President’s Office, Director of Student Health Services and the Vice President of Student Affairs, the CSULB Pow Wow Committee has decided to postpone the Pow Wow event,” officials stated. “This precautionary decision is consistent with other large events, unfortunately, being impacted in the CSU system due to the Coronavirus.”

— Stephanie Rivera

Who can be tested for the coronavirus in Long Beach? Not everyone

7:35 a.m. Wednesday | After three people tested positive for COVID-19 in Long Beach, the city is trying to ramp up its ability to find new cases of the disease, but, for now, officials are limiting who can be screened because of a lack of available tests.

The restrictions have frustrated some residents who suspect they have the coronavirus, but the Long Beach Health Department says it’s prioritizing the sickest individuals for screening because they could put hospital staff and other patients at risk.

“We really want to protect our healthcare workers,” said Emily Holman, a communicable disease controller for the city. Anyone who’s had contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus or became sick after traveling to one of the countries experiencing an outbreak will also jump to the front of the line, she said.

Read the full story here.

— Jeremiah Dobruck

Local ministers to meet, discuss safety

7:18 a.m. Wednesday | The Long Beach Ministers Alliance is organizing an “urgent” meeting for all local pastors, priests, imams and other faith-based leaders to discuss best practices that will ensure congregants are as safe as possible from coronavirus.

The gathering, which will include representatives from the Long Beach Health Department, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, March 12, at Bethany Church, 2250 Clark Ave., Long Beach.

“The purpose of this connection is to exchange fundamental safety considerations to ensure a panic-free environment for our congregations during this age of the Coronavirus,” the alliance said in a statement.

Clergy will discuss communion preparation and distribution, hand-holding, hand-shaking and other behaviors that occur in close proximity.

— Melissa Evans

Big West to play with no crowds

Colin Slater and the LBSU men’s basketball team have experienced some significant swings of success this season.

4:09 p.m. Tuesday | The Big West Conference announced Tuesday afternoon that this week’s men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be played without spectators as part of precautionary measures to halt the spread of the coronavirus. Long Beach State had already stepped up regular cleaning of the Walter Pyramid facilities for spectators and teams.

The Pyramid is hosting the first two rounds of the women’s tournament Tuesday evening and Wednesday, with the men’s tournament taking place at the Honda Center on Thursday through Saturday.

“The Big West Board of Directors, comprised of the chief executive officers of the nine member universities, strongly feel that this is a prudent way to help slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus while being sensitive to our student-athletes who have pointed towards playing in the tournament all season,” said Big West commissioner Dennis Farrell in a statement.

Fans who purchased tickets can receive a full refund from their point of purchase. We will have live coverage on Twitter from all Long Beach State tournament games @562sports.

— Mike Guardasbacio 

‘Dancing for our Stars’ event postponed

11:46 a.m. Tuesday | Adding to the list of cancellations or postponed events, officials with Long Beach Medical Center announced today their major fundraiser, “Dancing for our Stars,” has been postponed.

The gala was slated to take place on Saturday night. Officials said they will provide a new date when those details are worked out.

“Rescheduling this event is truly a precaution as we are committed to doing everything we can to ensure the health of our community,” John Bishop, CEO of MemorialCare and Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital, wrote in a note posted on the company’s website.

The news comes the day after the city announced that three people in the city tested positive for coronavirus, or COVID-19.

Other events postponed Tuesday include the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, and the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books.

— Melissa Evans

Officials with Long Beach Medical Center announced today their major fundraiser, “Dancing for our Stars,” has been postponed. Courtesy photo.

Cal State Long Beach considers canceling on-campus classes

10 a.m. Tuesday | Cal State Long Beach is considering moving to remote classes to prevent the spread of coronavirus, though no final decisions have yet been made, a campus spokesman said Tuesday.

Spokesman Jeff Cook said the campus with roughly 38,000 students has been in discussions for several weeks about possibly suspending in-person classes on campus and offering alternatives. Universities across the country, including USC, UC Berkeley and Stanford, have closed classrooms amid concerns about COVID-19, the coronavirus disease.

“We are engaged in active and ongoing conversations with our public health officials but no action has been taken right now,” Cook said, adding that a decision could be made in the coming days.

In the meantime, a major college basketball tournament is scheduled to continue at the university over the next two days. The Big West Basketball Tournament starts today at the Walter Pyramid with some extra precautions.

For instance, concessions stands will not be refilling popcorn tubs or beverage cups, some staff will be dedicated to sanitizing frequently touched surfaces, and players and coaches won’t be signing autographs or shaking hands with fans.

On Sunday, the university announced that 10 students were in self-quarantine after attending an event in Washington D.C. last week where three attendees tested positive for COVID-19.

Cook on Tuesday said the students remain in self-isolation and were so far not showing COVID-19 symptoms. He said public health officials have determined that the risk is low for those students.

“It was really done out of abundance of caution,” he said.

More information is available on the university’s COVID-19 webpage.

The Walter Pyramid at Cal State Long Beach. Courtesy photo.

— Kelly Puente

Officials believe 3 people have been infected with coronavirus

6:07 p.m. Monday | Long Beach officials announced Monday that three people in the city are believed to have contracted coronavirus—two men and a woman.

The cases are presumptive until confirmed by the CDC, the city said in a press statement.

Officials said one patient is hospitalized in stable condition and two are isolated at home. Earlier Monday, officials at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center confirmed they have one patient with the coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

“These preliminary test results, and our response and coordination with public health and safety officials are being taken extremely seriously,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “We strongly believe that COVID-19 is a threat to public health here in Long Beach and throughout the United States.”

Read the full story here. 

Long Beach confirms first case of coronavirus

4:52 p.m. Monday | A patient has tested positive for coronavirus at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center, officials said Monday.

The case is the first in Long Beach and one of 17 in Los Angeles County as of Monday afternoon.

Officials did not immediately provide details on the possible origin of the Long Beach case.

Dr. James Leo, chief medical officer for MemorialCare, said in a statement the patient has been in an isolation room since being identified as potentially having coronavirus, or COVID-19, and “is being provided with the very best care.”

Read the full story here.

— Kelly Puente

LA County officials confirm first coronavirus case with unknown source

2:25 p.m. Monday | Two more people in Los Angeles County have tested positive for the coronavirus, including one for whom no source of exposure can be found, possibly representing the county’s first case of community transmission of the illness, health officials announced today.

According to Dr. Barbara Ferrer, head of the county Department of Public Health, one of the new cases is a person with a known travel history to Japan. But Ferrer said health officials cannot identify any known exposure to the illness for the second patient.

“Community transmission is when we cannot identify a known source of exposure,” Ferrer said. “… With all of our cases, we are doing extensive investigations and identifying all of their close contacts. With both of these cases, to date we have identified no significant public exposures, but both of our new cases do have exposures to people who are known. … The two cases are now in isolation and all of their close contacts are or will be quarantined for up to 14 days from their last date of exposure.”

With the county now confirming its first possible case of “community transmission,” Ferrer said people who are pregnant, have underlying health conditions or are elderly should immediately begin “social distancing practices.”

“This would include avoiding non-essential travel, avoiding public gatherings or places where large groups of people are congregating and avoiding event venues,” Ferrer said.

She said those three groups of people are in danger of becoming more seriously ill if they contract the virus.

The two new patients, who are in isolation, bring the county’s overall total to 16.

The other cases are:

  • eight people in a travel group to Italy
  • two contract employees who were conducting coronavirus medical screenings of arriving passengers at Los Angeles International Airport
  • two relatives of a person who lives outside the county and was also confirmed with the virus
  • a person who attended the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Conference in Washington, D.C.
  • a traveler from the area of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. That person, the county’s first patient, has since recovered.

No cases have been confirmed in Long Beach.

LA County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer speaking about LA County's emergency declaration in response to COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Photo courtesy LA County.

LA County Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer speaking about LA County’s emergency declaration in response to COVID-19 on Wednesday, March 4, 2020. Photo courtesy LA County.

— City News Service

California Charter School Association cancels Long Beach convention

1:53 p.m. Monday | The California Charter School Association announced it is canceling its convention in Long Beach next week due to concern over the coronavirus—the second major convention to do so.

In a statement, the association said it is “proactively protecting our charter school community,” all of whom work directly with children. “We trust you understand it was not an easy decision but support that it is the right thing to do.”

Roughly 3,000 people were expected to attend the March 16-19 event at the Long Beach Convention Center.

In late February, the Trans-Pacific Merchants 2020 conference was also canceled. Roughly 2,200 people from around the Pacific Rim and other regions across the globe were expected to attend.

Several large conventions have been canceled across the state, including Facebook’s developer conference in May in San Jose and the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this month.

Long Beach Convention Center, March 11, 2019. File Photo by Sarahi Apaez.

— Melissa Evans

Long Beach Transit ramps up cleaning

11:54 a.m. Monday | Long Beach Transit is taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus by deep cleaning its buses and facilities, spokesman Mike Gold said Monday.

Gold said Long Beach Transit about two weeks ago began enhancing its daily disinfecting of buses, focusing on panels, doors, handrails, pull cords and other spots.

“We’re paying special attention to those high touch areas,” he said.

Long Beach Transit is also disinfecting doors, kitchens and other common areas in its facilities and has provided hand sanitizer for all of its employees, including its bus drivers.

Passengers are asked to wash their hands frequently and follow the Centers for Disease Control guidelines.

Long Beach Transit buses are being cleaned carefully in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. File photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

— Kelly Puente 

Grand Prix plans for coronavirus precautions during city’s largest event

11:45 a.m. Monday | The Grand Prix Association of Long Beach will take extra precautions to prevent the spread of coronavirus when roughly 185,000 racing fans visit the city next month for Long Beach’s largest event, officials said.

President and CEO Jim Michaelian said in a statement the organization is actively monitoring the situation and working with multiple agencies to “ensure the health, safety and well-being of our attendees.”

Precautions include making sure attendees have access to fully stocked hand-washing stations as well as alcohol-based hand sanitizer for the event on April 17-19.

In addition, frequently touched surfaces will be routinely cleaned and disinfected.

Grand Prix Association of Long Beach President & CEO Jim Michaelian speaks during a media event kicking off 53 days of construction on the 1.97-mile Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach race circuit. Tuesday, February 25, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr.

— Kelly Puente 

City Council to get update on coronavirus Tuesday

10:07 a.m. Monday | The City Council on Tuesday will be asked to ratify a declaration of a local health emergency, which frees up resources and gives various agencies more power to coordinate their efforts.

So far there are no confirmed cases of the virus in Long Beach. Los Angeles County has reported 14 cases, all of them contracted among people who traveled outside the country or came into contact with travelers who were infected.

Long Beach health officials are also expected to give an update on preparedness efforts in the city.

— Staff report

Study: More than 9,000 in U.S. may have been infected by March 1

9:21 a.m. Monday | By March 1, more than 9,000 people in the U.S. may have already been infected by COVID-19, far more than the number that had been publicly reported, according to a new Cedars-Sinai study.

“This suggests that the opportunity window to contain the epidemic of COVID-19 in its early stage is closing,” the researchers stated in their paper, which is posted online on a forum where physicians and researchers share information.

The range of possible patients is significantly higher than the number of confirmed and presumptive U.S. cases reported by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which stood at 164 as of March 7. Some news media on March 8 were reporting more than 500 total cases.

Cedars-Sinai investigators, who led the study, said they chose “very conservative” methods to estimate the number of coronavirus cases.

To arrive at infection estimates for their new study, the researchers modeled only COVID-19 coronavirus cases “imported” directly to the U.S. from the area of Wuhan, China, before Jan. 23, when the Chinese government locked down the city, and they assumed the lockdown stopped all outbound traffic. Potential cases arriving in the U.S. from other parts of China, or other heavily affected countries such as South Korea, Italy or Iran, were not included in the estimate.

— City News Service

LBFD reveals Personal Protective Equipment first responders may wear in public

7:40 p.m. Sunday | The Long Beach Fire Department on Sunday evening posted a video to its social media channels alerting the public to new safety protocols being undertaken by first responders.

Wearing a face mask, latex gloves and a surgical gown in the video, LBFD spokesman Jake Heflin warned community members that “you might see see public safety personnel and those working to provide and promote your safety wearing this type of equipment, personal protective equipment, not only for our protection, but yours as well.”

Heflin emphasized that if first responders do wear the equipment, it does not mean the patient they are responding to is positive for COVID-19.

Check out the video below:

— Stephanie Rivera

New passengers ready to board Carnival Panorama despite delay

1:50 p.m. Sunday | Passengers waiting to board the new Carnival Panorama late Sunday morning said they were excited to embark despite a delay to the seven-day cruise due to a coronavirus testing of a previous guest.

About 5,000 passengers aboard the Panorama—which makes stops in the Mexican cities of Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta—were held in the ship an extra day while health officials took preventative measures and tested one of the guests for coronavirus.

The results came back negative late Saturday night and many of the passengers ended up disembarking Sunday morning.

Passengers were delayed overnight from leaving the ship Saturday, in order to test a person for the coronoavirus. That person tested negative and passengers were given permission to disembark Sunday Morning. March 8, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr.

“It’s probably cleaner now than it has ever been,” said Utah resident and first-time cruise goer Terri Marks, 53.

Marks and five other relatives flew in Friday and stayed at the nearby Maya hotel.

She said hotel staff were very accommodating and held the room for them an extra day. When they were all booked up, they still allowed other stranded guests to hang out in the lobby.

Marks and her sister-in-law Claudia Baker, 59, said they weren’t scared of contracting the coronavirus, repeating what health officials have been advising: just keep washing your hands.

Through email and text updates from Carnival Cruise, as well as word of mouth, the ladies were informed that the ship had been cleaned twice in preparation for the next group.

They were also told that about 2,000 people canceled their reservations.

“I’m really excited,” said Baker. “It’s the perfect time to cruise for me. It’s like going to an amusement park on a rainy day.”

Cruise ship passengers Claudia Baker, left, and her sister-in-law Terri Marks wait for their bags to be picked up at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, before embarking on a six-day cruise to Mexico, aboard the cruise ship Carnival Panorama. March 8, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr.

Arizona resident Jessica Jackson, 43, said she and her husband checked in at about noon Saturday before they found out about the delay.

She said the new enhanced health screening procedures announced by Carnival Cruise in response to the coronavirus epidemic included a questionnaire and getting their temperature taken.

During their wait, they were given a complimentary meal aboard the Queen Mary Saturday afternoon before they found a hotel near Disneyland to spend the night. They are part of a family of 30 going on the cruise.

Carnival Cruise promised to refund passengers forced to find last-minute accommodations due to the delay. Carnival Panorama guests are expected to set sail Sunday afternoon for what will now be a six-day cruise.

As for the passengers who were held an extra day aboard the ship, the wait wasn’t so bad, they said.

The Marxs family, from Utah, disembarks the cruise ship Carnival Panorama, at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal Sunday afternoon. The family were among passengers who were delayed over night, from leaving the ship Saturday. March 8, 2020. Photo by Stephen Carr.

“They did good,” said Zach Allen, 29, of Utah.

Allen and his wife’s family said the staff treated the delay like any other day on the cruise. They opened up all the activities to guests and fed them a steak dinner.

As part of the precautionary measures, employees served guests their food and drink instead of the buffet-style serving.

While Allen and his relatives have to wait until Monday to head back to Utah due to a missed flight, they said they enjoyed their extra day.

“We had a fun time,” Allen said.

— Stephanie Rivera

Experts say cruise ships are no place for quarantine

1:36 p.m. Sunday | Cruise ships hit by coronavirus outbreaks have quickly found themselves with no ports for thousands of passengers as countries on four continents have quarantined vessels or kept them at sea for days.

Keeping all the passengers on board instead of letting them disembark on land is a strategy that can backfire, however, according to experts, because the ventilation systems and close quarters of cruise ships make them ideal places for illness to jump from one person to the next.

“They’re not designed as quarantine facilities, to put it mildly,” said Don Milton, an epidemiologist with the University of Maryland. A ship with more than 3,500 people aboard was sailing in circles off the coast of California on Saturday after 19 crew members and two passengers tested positive for the new virus. Originally bound for San Francisco, the Grand Princess might be sent instead to a non-commercial port, officials said.

Read the full story here.

— The Associated Press

LB health director urges support, kindness in the midst of health scare

1:03 p.m. Sunday | Kelly Colopy, health director for the city of Long Beach, penned a opinion piece urging residents to do their part in the midst of the coronavirus scare:

“As your City Health and Human Services Director, you may think that I wouldn’t be offering kindness as part of the solution, however, it is one of the key factors in not spreading fear; Fear leads to misinformation and confusion, neither of which are helpful. Be kind to each other. There has been quite a bit of stigma put on community members, who are perfectly healthy, that may be from a certain country, or traveled from a certain country or even just look a certain way. This stigma is not helpful for the health of our community and only does damage.”

Read the entire piece here.

— Staff report

The number of cases in LA county stands at 14

12:03 p.m. Sunday | So far 14 cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, have been found in Los Angeles County, with an additional case reported Saturday. None of them are in Long Beach.

The county’s cases break down as:

  • eight people in a travel group to Italy;
  • two contract employees who were conducting coronavirus medical screenings of arriving passengers at Los Angeles International Airport;
  • two relatives of a person who lives outside the county and was also confirmed with the virus;
  • a traveler from the area of Wuhan, China, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak. That person, the county’s first, has since recovered;
  • an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) traveler announced Saturday.

Health officials stressed that all of the county’s cases have been traced to an exposure source, so there are no local incidents of unknown community spread of the illness. All of the patients are under isolation.

Officials urge the public to stay home if you are sick. Mild symptoms include a fever of over 100, along with respiratory symptoms or stomach ailments.

— City News Service

Archdiocese of Los Angeles suspends certain practices during mass

10:05 a.m. Sunday | The Archdiocese of Los Angeles is recommending that parishes suspend certain practices during liturgies, including the use of the cup for Holy Communion and refrain from shaking hands at the sign of peace and holding hands at the Lord’s prayer amid concern about the spread of coronavirus.

“Public health officials have advised that the immediate health risk from COVID-19 to the American public is considered low,” archdiocese officials said. “However, out of an abundance of caution, the Archdiocese recommends the following liturgical accommodations and resources for all parishes, schools and ministries until such time as the coronavirus is no longer a threat.”

The recommendations include:

  • The use of the cup for Holy Communion should be suspended. Holy Communion is only to be given in the species of the consecrated bread.
  • It is recommended that the faithful receive Holy Communion on the hand. However, pastors may choose to continue to give Holy Communion on the tongue.
  • The faithful should be encouraged to refrain from shaking hands at the sign of peace and holding hands at the Lord’s prayer. o Remove holy water from fonts not attached to a filtration system.

The guidelines were updated Friday, March 6 after the Office of Worship in late February asked parishioners to use “common sense” in liturgies amid concern about the spread of coronavirus.

The archdiocese is also asking all staff, volunteers, parishioners, students and others to stay home if they are sick.

-Stephanie Rivera

Carnival Panorama passengers cleared to disembark Sunday morning, next cruise delayed one day

9:35 a.m. Sunday | A group of passengers who were being held overnight aboard Carnival Panorama have been cleared to leave today after a woman who was taken off the vessel to be tested for COVID-19, also known as coronavirus, but received negative results.

Meanwhile, a Royal Princess cruise, that was scheduled to leave Saturday from San Pedro, was canceled at the last minute after the Centers for Disease Control issued a “no-sail order” after learning one of the crew members previously served on a Grand Princess cruise, the same operator where 21 people tested positive for COVID-19 on a ship that remains docked near San Francisco.

Officials with Carnival Panorama notified passengers in Long Beach late Saturday that they could leave, although most stayed aboard until this morning. An estimated 5,000 passengers and 1,400 crew members were aboard the Panorama, according to a ship employee.

“The precautionary COVID-19 test on a Carnival Panorama guest has come back negative and guests have been cleared to disembark in Long Beach,” said a company statement issued to the media today.

It is unclear when the next group of Carnival Panorama passengers will be able to board the ship. On Saturday evening, Carnival Cruise officials notified guests that they intended to operate “a six-day sailing departing on Sunday” with passengers receiving a pro-rated one-day refund of their cruise fare.

Passengers would also be reimbursed up to $200 per hotel room if needed and a $50 meal allowance.

Carnival Cruise has also established additional cleaning standards on top of its daily cleaning regimen and enhanced screening procedures, according to its website. That includes:

  • More frequent sanitizing of tables, chairs, menus and other surfaces
  • More frequent open deck sanitation of outdoor furniture and sports equipment
  • Additional hand sanitizers/dispensers placed in highly trafficked locations where hand-wash sinks are not available.

As for the Royal Princess cruise, passengers showed up Saturday, ready to leave, but were delayed for hours after the CDC raised questions about the former Grand Princess crew member, according to the Cruise Waves website.

“Princess Cruises was requested by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to share information about a crew member who previously served on Grand Princess and transferred to Royal Princess 15 days ago,” Royal Princess officials said in a statement to Cruise Waves. “After sharing all information and details about the crew member, the CDC approved clearance for Royal Princess yesterday, to sail today, with no restrictions placed on the vessel.

“However, late this afternoon (Saturday), the CDC informed us of their decision to issue a “no-sail order” until the crew member was tested for COVID-19. We have unfortunately been unable to obtain this test given the lateness of the request. Due to the unknown timing of obtaining the test and results … we have canceled the cruise.”

Royal Princess officials emphasized that the “crew member is past the maximum incubation of COVID-19, has been evaluated and has never developed any respiratory symptoms or fever. The crew member had no known contact or exposure to other guests or crew who were ill on Grand Princess.”

But passengers said they were left waiting while the cruise line continued communicating with the CDC.

“The Royal Princess was supposed to take off today from Long Beach but instead we sat there for 6+ hours waiting to embark onto the ship,” a Twitter user named Em posted Saturday, “and then they canceled the cruise.”

Royal Princess said it is now working with disappointed passengers to find accommodations or other transportation and will reimburse guests up to $300 per booking for one night’s hotel costs in Los Angeles.

-City News Service and staff reports

Marathon organizers urge extra caution

5:57 a.m. Sunday | The 35th annual Los Angeles Marathon is scheduled to continue as planned today, with public health officials encouraging runners and spectators to take enhanced measures to protect themselves from the spread of respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is recommending that spectators who are sick with even mild illness to remain at home. Those planning to attend should engage in “social distancing,” keeping at least 6 feet away from other people who are not family members or friends.

Public Health is also advising spectators not to share food or water bottles, avoid shaking hands, and frequently wash hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, particularly before eating, after using the restroom and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.

Runners among the record field of 27,150 from all 50 states and a record 78 nations who have entered the race are being asked by Public Health not participate if they feel sick even with mild illness.

Race organizers have increased the number of hand sanitizer stations at the starting line at Dodger Stadium, along the 26-mile, 385-yard course and the finish festival in Santa Monica.    Public Health is not recommending the suspension of any large public events, including the marathon, director Barbara Ferrer said. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said “There’s no reason to cancel it.”

Entries from runners with a mailing address in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Italy, South Korea and Iran have been deferred to the 2021 race, about 0.06% of the field, according to Murphy Reinschreiber, chief operating officer of the McCourt Foundation, which organizes the race.

More than 25,000 people are expected to run Sunday on the 26.2-mile “stadium to the sea” course from Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica, according to Dan Cruz, the marathon’s head of communications.

— City News Service

Cruise passenger tested negative for coronavirus

10:25 p.m. Saturday | City officials announced at about 10 p.m. Saturday that the coronavirus test for the passenger who was taken to a local hospital from a Carnival cruise ship came back negative.

“The City of Long Beach remains vigilant in promoting and enhancing preparedness efforts in coordination with local, state and federal officials,” officials said. “At this time, there are zero confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the city of Long Beach.”

Cruise passengers will stay aboard overnight

People waited to board the Carnival Panorama after a passenger was taken to a local hospital and tested for coronavirus on Saturday, March 7, 2020. Photo by Valerie Osier.

9:52 p.m. Saturday | Passengers awaiting debarkation from the Panorama docked in Long Beach were notified that they would be held on the ship overnight because cruise officials were still awaiting the coronavirus test results from the CDC for the passenger removed earlier that morning.

Passengers were originally told they could expect the results by 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, the city and the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau city have been racing all day to arrange local hotel rooms for the thousands more who couldn’t board their cruise today, according to a city official with knowledge of the situation.

For the full story, click here.

— Valerie Osier

CSULB students returning from DC rally self-quarantine out of caution

9:24 p.m. Saturday | Cal State Long Beach officials on Saturday evening notified staff and students that 10 students and two advisors were quarantining themselves after attending a large event in Washington, D.C. where three people unrelated to the campus ended up testing positive for coronavirus.

The self quarantine is “out of an abundance of caution and in coordination with public-health officials,” wrote Dr. Kimberly Fodran, Co-Director of Student Health Services.

The campus has initiated more cleaning protocols on the campus this week. One of the student attendees lives in student housing, so that facility is also being specially cleaned as a preventative measure, Dr. Fodran said. Crews are also putting hand-sanitizing stations across campus.

“We will continue to be in close and ongoing communication with the affected students and assess if they develop any symptoms,” she said.

The quarantined students aren’t currently showing any symptoms of COVID-19, the campus said.

Fodran urged students who have additional questions to contact the Student Health Center or after-hours nurse advice line at 800-240-7617.

Students have started circulating a petition signed by about 200 people asking CSULB to temporarily amend its attendance policy so students and faculty are able to stay home without suffering losing attendance credit and without needing a doctor’s note.

CSULB will be posting updates at csulb.edu/covid-19.

—Valerie Osier

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