Trump urges people to avoid gatherings of 10 or more; stocks plunge again

Responding to the throngs of people who have emptied their shelves in the last week, grocery stores in the Los Angeles area have started offering specific times for at-risk populations to shop during the coronavirus outbreak.

Northgate Market announced Monday that it would open from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. for residents 65 and older and for residents with disabilities.”We recognize the challenge facing seniors and other at-risk populations, and we need to address them by providing them an opportunity to shop for essentials without fear or trepidation,” the company said in a statement.

Super A Foods in Commerce announced it would offer a special shopping time for residents 65 and older, starting Tuesday.

Starting Thursday, Grocery Outlet in Altadena also will offer a specific time for residents 60 and older to shop from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.

Citing the need to “align” the efforts of local and state officials to combat the spread of the novel coronavirus, Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that all California restaurants should close their doors to dine-in customers and that gyms, health clubs and movie theaters should also shutter their operations.

The announcement, made during a brief presentation on Facebook Live, represented an expansion of the state’s public health efforts and a reversal from just 24 hours earlier as to whether restaurants should curtail their operations.

Newsom said that he was “asking our restaurants to close down, for the moment, provide takeout if they wish, and operate in that frame. But that will focus an alignment throughout the state of California at this point, we believe it’s necessary.”

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In response to the coronavirus pandemic, the California Department of Motor Vehicles has asked state and local law enforcement officers to exercise discretion for 60 days in their enforcement of driver license and vehicle registration expiration dates beginning Monday.

In some cases, DMV might waive vehicle registration penalties for ticketed customers.

In a news release, the agency said that the DMV is taking this action so at-risk populations, including older residents and those with underlying health conditions, can avoid required visits to DMV field offices for driver license or vehicle registration renewals.

This 60-day grace period for driver license and vehicle registrations is intended to protect the health and safety of customers who would otherwise have to come to a DMV office to take care of business, but are concerned during this coronavirus pandemic.

Those transactions that require a DMV office visit include new driver license, duplicate driver license, some driver license renewals, new license plates, complex vehicle registrations or title transfers and off-highway permits.

Transactions that fall within this action include driver license renewals for those:

• 70 years of age and older, who are required to take a knowledge test
• Individuals who are required to renew in the office (last DMV visit was 15 years prior)
• Individuals subject to vision testing
• Individuals with complex driving history

The 60-day period also applies to vehicle registration renewals for customers who are not eligible to use an alternative service channel because of the following reasons:

• Outdated insurance information
• Registration expired for 90 days or more
• Smog issues
• Recent transfer

All DMV offices remain open at this time to process transactions that must be taken care of in an office, including REAL ID.

For REAL ID, the federal government requires an office visit. REAL ID customers can fill out the online application before going into an office. In 23 offices throughout the state, customers can upload their REAL ID documents before their office visit. This option will be statewide by June.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced Monday afternoon the suspension of masses amid the current health threat of COVID-19.

“I deeply regret that we are forced to temporarily suspend public celebration of the Mass in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles,” said Archbishop José H. Gomez in a statement. “What we do in the church, we do out of love for God and love for our brothers and sisters. We are taking this extraordinary step today out of love and concern for those in our families and communities who are most vulnerable to this deadly coronavirus.”

Gomez said the decision was “not made lightly,” and that it was made after “much prayer and reflection” and in consultation with the Archdiocese’s auxiliary bishops, Council of Priests, lay advisers, and government and public health officials.

“I ask your continued prayers for all those who are afflicted with this virus and those who are afraid and vulnerable,” Gomez said. “I also ask you to pray and reach out to help the many families who are facing difficulties as a result of this emergency. We also need to keep in our prayers all the doctors, nurses, caregivers, and public health and civil authorities working to contain the outbreak of this virus and treat those who are sick.

”In a news release, the Archdiocese encouraged Catholics to continue to pray at home with their families and participate in the Holy Mass online.

The Archdiocese will provide a livestream of non-public Masses celebrated by the priests from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels daily and on Sunday via Facebook, and at lacatholics.org/emergency/. The weekday Mass in English at 12:10 p.m. and the Sunday Masses in English at 10 a.m. and in Spanish at 12:30 p.m. will be livestreamed.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Monday evening that California has 392 confirmed cases of COVID-19, an increase from the previous day’s tally of 335 confirmed cases.

Newsom said via Facebook Live that the updated number includes one homeless person in Santa Clara County.

Elsewhere in the state, public health officials provided more grim news Monday afternoon.

Riverside County confirmed its first two deaths associated with COVID-19, two patients in the Coachella Valley.

“Sadly, these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community,” Public Health Officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said in a statement.

Santa Clara County confirmed two additional deaths, bringing that county’s total to four.

And Sacramento County confirmed one person had died, bringing its total to two deaths, both people who were older than 70 and had underlying health conditions.

Officials said that all hospitals were preparing for a surge in patients.

Los Angeles will temporarily stop ticketing cars during street sweeping and relax its enforcement of some other parking rules, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

In an effort to help residents stuck at home during the coronavirus pandemic, Los Angeles will temporarily stop ticketing cars during street sweeping and relax its enforcement of some other parking rules, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday.

For the next two weeks, cars left on the street in L.A. during street sweeping will not be ticketed, Garcetti said.

The city will also temporarily stop ticketing and towing vehicles that are abandoned, oversized vehicles parked overnight, and vehicles parked in peak-hour parking zones.

The city will also freeze parking fine increases for the next 60 days, Garcetti said, and will extend all payment deadlines until June 1.

Los Angeles parking officers will not ticket parents and caregivers who are picking up meals around closed schools, and there will be an “extended grace period” for people picking up groceries or dropping off goods, he said.

Not all parking enforcement will stop. During “the duration of this emergency period,” Garcetti said, parking officers will focus on “street sweeping around encampments, ensuring emergency access, keeping colored curbs clear, and repaving and slurry operations.”

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Riverside County public health officials announced the county’s first two deaths linked to the coronavirus. Both deaths occurred in Coachella Valley, public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser said.

“Our thoughts are with the families of the two patients,” said Kaiser. “Sadly, these outcomes are expected as we face a serious challenge and continue to make the necessary decisions to protect the health of the community.”Kaiser also instituted stricter orders to limit public gatherings from 250 people to no more than 10. The new directive follows President Trump’s advisement Monday against similar gatherings.

Kaiser also ordered the closure of all Riverside County schools from elementary to colleges.As cases continue to rise throughout California, officials said the county’s public health lab is now operational allowing for an expansion of testing.

“Unfortunately, the number of cases are going to keep going up for awhile,” Kaiser said. “But we’re taking steps to keep us ahead of the curve and getting people taken care of as quickly as we can. If everyone does their part we’ll get through this together.”

All Los Angeles County court proceedings will be suspended for the rest of the week as concerns about the spread of the COVID-19 virus continue to mount, according to an internal e-mail reviewed by The Times.

The message, sent late Monday to employees of the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office, said all proceedings would be halted for three days as of Tuesday. The move was expected to be authorized by the California Supreme Court, and came as criminal justice officials continue to struggle with how the deadly illnesses spread will impact courthouses and jails.

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Seven counties in the San Francisco Bay Area will be placed under a shelter-in-place directive by public health officials in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, a move that will close virtually all businesses and direct residents to remain at home for the next three weeks.

San Mateo Mayor Joe Goethals said he believed that the order, announced in a pair of news conferences Monday afternoon, put six counties — San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa and Alameda — on perhaps the nation’s most restrictive public health footing since the outbreak of the potentially deadly coronavirus.

Later in the day, Santa Cruz County issued a similar order, bringing the total counties affected to seven.

SACRAMENTO —Gov. Gavin Newsom and California lawmakers unveiled a plan Monday to spend as much as $1 billion on the state’s emergency medical response as it readies hospitals to combat an expected onslaught of patients due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The proposals, drafted quickly in response to the rapid rise in confirmed cases of the virus, would provide needed funding to open two additional hospitals in California amid concern that the state does not have the capacity to care for a surge in patients. The bill appropriates $500 million for emergency response from the state’s general fund with an additional $500 million available if needed.

Newsom wrote to lawmakers on Monday that elected officials “must rise to the challenge facing our state with every tool at our disposal and without a second of delay.”

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Coronavirus continued its spread across L.A. County on Monday.

The number of coronavirus cases in the county increased considerably Monday to 94, with 41 new cases in the last 48 hours.

Los Angeles County Public Health Department Director Barbara Ferrer said everyone should assume there are coronavirus patients in their neighborhood, some of whom might not know they’re sick.

“Residents at this point must assume that there may be people who are infected everywhere in the county,” she said.

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Normally bustling Grand Central Market in downtown L.A. is open only for take out.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Most of the food vendors inside L.A.’s Grand Central Market were closed or had a few customers standing in line ordering food to go.

Rows and groups of stools and metal chairs sat on top of tables as staff walked around sanitizing them. Minerva Torres, 47, who runs a produce market, said she understands the concerns about the coronavirus but doesn’t think businesses should be forced to close.

“We lose money and we have bills to pay,” she said. “I have kids in universities that I need to help.”

Torres said that when she heard about Mayor Eric Garcetti’s emergency order, she didn’t know how it would affect her, given that most vendors inside the market sell food.

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Television news is facing the challenge of covering the coronavirus pandemic while grappling with the guidelines imposed to contain the crisis.

Broadcast and cable networks are putting on programs with reduced staffs and producers are working from home as New York, the center of TV news business, is on the verge of a complete shutdown. Viewers can even see the impact on screen as anchors, correspondents and guests are practicing social distancing.

Most guests and contributors are appearing from remote locations outside of studios, some via Skype from their homes.

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The Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced Monday that public visitation and inmate programming would be temporarily suspended at all its jail facilities.The restrictions will remain in place until March 27, and will be reassessed at that time, according to the department.

Attorney-client and other legal visits can still take place, officials said, and inmates will be able to make two free five-minute phone calls each week during this period.

“By temporarily suspending these operations, the Sheriff’s Department helps minimize risk to the public, staff, volunteers and those in our care and custody,” officials said in a news release. “The Sheriff’s Department understands that visiting and programming play a critical role in inmate rehabilitation, however safety remains the department’s top priority.”

Hey, what’s a pandemic without a little dark, dark humor, right?

This time it’s brought to you by Max Brooks and his 93-year-old father, comedy legend Mel Brooks, who debuted their #DontBeASpreader education effort on social media Monday.

“Hi, Dad!,” Max Brooks says. “He’s 93. If I get the coronavirus, I’ll probably be OK. But if I give it to him, he could give it to Carl Reiner, who could give it to Dick Van Dyke. And before I know it, I’ve wiped out a whole generation of comedic legends. When it comes to the coronavirus, I have to think about who I can infect, and so should you.”

Read more >>>

News about the coronavirus pandemic is overwhelming. The Times plans to update this page twice each weekday — once in the morning, once in the afternoon — with the latest news that matters to you; information you can use to stay safe, healthy and sane; and answers to your questions. For an evening update, sign up for the free Coronavirus Today newsletter.

It is free for non-subscribers.

Follow along here >>>

A Palos Verdes High School student has reportedly tested positive for COVID-19, district officials said Monday.

The student’s parent notified the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District of the result, Supt. Alex Cherniss said in a statement.

“We believe this report to be credible,” he said. “The district has notified the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and we are awaiting further guidance. The district will take direction related to this situation and individuals from DPH. Please continue to follow state and federal guidance related to coronavirus.”

Additional information about the student’s condition was not immediately available.

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With millions of students and employees striving to work from home, the nation’s internet and telephone providers have pledged not to cut off service for customers for two months amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Last week, Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai rallied the industry to accept his “Keep Americans Connected Pledge,” in recognition that millions of people will be reeling from a sudden loss of income and unable to pay some of their bills.

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The Southern Nevada Health District said Monday that a Clark County man in his 60s who had underlying health problems and was hospitalized after testing positive for coronavirus had died.

His death is the first in the state and ca,e as the number of coronavirus cases in Clark County climbed Monday to 35.

“This loss of life is a tragedy, and we want to express our condolences to the family,” said Dr. Fermin Leguen, acting chief health officer of the Southern Nevada Health District.

“We must continue to emphasize how important it is to protect those who are most vulnerable to the impacts of the virus and urge our community to support the public health measures and recommendations that are in place.”

As fallout from the coronavirus pandemic began to hit the dining industry, delivery companies offered a rare concession to their restaurant partners.

Delivery app Postmates Inc. said Tuesday it would waive commission fees for small businesses in San Francisco that signed up for a relief pilot program.

On Friday, competitor Grubhub Inc. announced it would “suspend collecting up to $100 million in commissions from independent restaurants across the country.” UberEats announced Monday it would waive delivery fees for independently owned restaurants using its service.

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Taylor Swift, shown in 2019 at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, is urging her fans to practice stricter social distancing.

(Jordan Strauss / Associated Press)

The stars were not out this weekend.

Amid coronavirus fears, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, Lizzo, Arnold Schwarzenegger and more celebrities took to social media to demonstrate social distancing and encourage others to follow their lead by staying home and avoiding crowded spaces.

Swift penned a message to her fans Sunday on Instagram, imploring Swifties to take CDC-recommended measures to “isolate” themselves to protect others.

“I follow you online and I love you guys so much and need to express my concern that things aren’t being taken seriously enough right now,” the “Lover” singer wrote on her Instagram story. “I’m seeing lots of get togethers and hangs and parties still happening.”

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The U.S. stock market had its worst day since 1987 on Monday as the coronavirus pandemic forced swaths of the economy to the edge of a standstill, leaving airplanes parked and restaurants empty.

The losses on Wall Street accelerated toward the end of the trading day as President Trump spoke to the nation, saying the outbreak could last until July or August or even longer.

The benchmark Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped about 12%. The Dow Jones industrial average sank about 13%, or about 3,000 points. The Nasdaq composite dropped about 12.3%.

The Federal Reserve announced a new round of emergency actions late Sunday to prop up the economy and get financial markets running smoothly again, but the moves may have raised fears even further. Investors are also waiting for the White House and Congress to offer more aid to an economy that’s increasingly shutting down by the hour.

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Responding to new government travel restrictions and plunging demand, U.S. carriers plan to slash flight capacity by up to 75% on international routes and as much 30% on domestic flights, with cuts projected to last until summer.

The growing coronavirus outbreak also prompted a trade group that represents the U.S. airlines to call on the federal government to provide at least $54 billion in grants, loans and tax breaks to respond to an economic blow that the group called “staggering.”

“This is a today problem, not a tomorrow problem,” Nicholas E. Calio, president and chief executive of Airlines for America, said in a statement Monday. “It requires urgent action.”

Although U.S. carriers had been reporting healthy profits for nearly a decade, the cash reserves the airlines have built are draining quickly, with all seven of the group’s largest carriers expected to run out of money as early as June 30, according to the trade group.

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Amazon said Monday that it needed to hire 100,000 people across the U.S. to keep up with a crush of orders as the coronavirus kept more people at home, shopping online.

The online retailer said Thursday the jobs were full time and came with benefits. Many of the new jobs will be at fulfillment centers currently being built in a number of states, including California, Florida and Texas.

The Seattle company says the new jobs will be filled over the next 18 months by people of differing experiences and education levels.

Amazon.com Inc. says it’s expanded its U.S. workforce by more than 150,000 people in the last five years.

The hiring surge comes as traditional retailers cut jobs and close stores.

Last week, the Limited said it would close all its stores, and Macy’s moved forward with plans to close 68 stores and said it would cut more than 10,000 jobs.

Ohio’s governor is going to court to postpone Tuesday’s in-person voting in the state’s Democratic presidential primary, casting uncertainty over whether millions of people will be able to cast ballots amid mounting concerns over the coronavirus.

“A lawsuit will be filed to postpone the election until June 2, 2020,” Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, said on Twitter. “In the meantime, voters would still be able to request absentee ballots. It will be up to a judge to decide if the election will be postponed.”

DeWine’s announcement came on the eve of presidential primaries in his state as well as Florida, Illinois and Arizona. Louisiana and Georgia had already postponed their primaries.

“At some point, it may be so difficult to run a primary that it has to be delayed,” said Rick Hasen, an election law professor at UC Irvine.

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As the number of confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus continues to rise, Apple and streaming service Hulu have had two employees test positive for the virus.

Apple said Monday that an employee at its Culver City office had the novel coronavirus and remained in self-isolation at home. The employee had no symptoms when the individual was last in the office, the company said.

“We recognize this is a challenging time for our global community and our thoughts remain with those around the world personally affected by COVID-19 and the heroic medical professionals and researchers fighting it,” Apple said in a statement.

Hulu said it also had an employee, at its Santa Monica office, who tested positive for COVID-19. The employee was sent home for self-quarantine as soon as the person began experiencing symptoms, according to a company spokesperson.

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ATLANTA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Monday that it was deep cleaning office space after its first employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee, who was not involved in the coronavirus response, had not worked in a CDC workspace since March 6 and was asymptomatic at that time, Dr. Robert R. Redfield, the director of the CDC, said in an email.

Upon developing symptoms, the employee stayed home, Redfield said, and was in “good condition” and “isolated to prevent spread of infection to others.”

Staff working in the same unit as the employee, who could not be identified for privacy reasons, are teleworking as the office space is cleaned. The CDC was set to inform “potentially affected” staff and take “swift measures” to mitigate spread of the virus, Redfield said.

“Our best wishes go to the employee for a rapid and full recovery,” he said.

The sprawling Atlanta-based national public health institute has already taken steps to mitigate the risk of infection in workspaces by increasing the use of teleworking, intensifying the cleaning of buildings, recommending that sick employees stay home, and canceling in-person meetings and staff travel.

“We know this is a time of great uncertainty and concern for our CDC family,” Redfield said, “but please be assured that we are considering and taking all necessary actions to further protect your health and safety.”

President Trump on Monday announced new guidelines to avoid the spread of the novel coronavirus. He urged schools not to have in-person classes and for people to avoid food courts, bars, restaurants and gatherings of groups of more than 10.

Trump said restrictions on daily life could last until July or August.

Trump said officials were not “at this point” looking at a nationwide quarantine.

“We may look at certain areas, certain hot spots,” he said.

“If everyone makes these critical changes and sacrifices now, we will rally together as one nation and we will defeat the virus,” Trump said. Once that happens, we can “have a big celebration all together.“

Trump described the new virus as “an invisible enemy.”

“We have a problem that, a month ago, nobody ever thought about,” he said. “It’s just so contagious. Just a record-setting-type contagion.”

Trump also said the federal government would be “in a position to help the airlines very much.”

”With several weeks of focused action, we can turn the corner and turn it quickly.“

Trump said that it was “important for the young and healthy people to understand, while they may experience milder symptoms, they can easily spread this virus.

”We especially worry about our senior citizens,” he added.

Anthony Fauci, the federal government’s most visible infectious diseases expert, said that when you’re dealing with emerging disease, “you are always behind where you think you are if you think today reflects where you really are.“

”The best way to address it is to do something that looks like it might be an overreaction. It isn’t an overreaction,” he said.

Clichés about the theater are quite durable, but in the era of the coronavirus, one of the oldest needs to be updated. In our new reality, the show will go online.

For true theater fans, there is no substitute for gathering together and watching talented performers act out a compelling story in real time. But unlike London in 1606, when Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre had its season curtailed by the plague, we can still enjoy the works of that master and many others while remaining snugly quarantined in our homes.

Streaming services are offering dramas, comedies and musicals — some recorded in the early days of television, others captured as recently as last year. Prices tend to be quite reasonable, and the quality is often remarkable. Here’s a rundown of some of your best options.

Read more>>>

Even swap meets are running out of toilet paper to sell.

On Sunday, vendors at two Los Angeles-area swap meets said they were clean out of T.P., the maddening symbol of coronavirus panic shopping. The hoarding is leaving empty shelves at supermarket stores across Los Angeles — and in the case of a typical Southern California swap meet, empty sections of asphalt where stacks of paper goods used to be abundant.

“There is no more,” said Maria Osorio, a 74-year-old immigrant from Jalisco, Mexico, who runs a stall of paper products, disposable plates and cleaning supplies at the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet.

Osorio, a vendor there for 25 years, seemed upbeat about her sales. “My $5, $15 and $18 packs are all gone,” she said.

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L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Monday his agency had reduced the number of inmates in its jails by more than 600 amid concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.

Although there are no confirmed cases of the virus in the jails, 21 inmates are quarantined at Men’s Central Jail, five are quarantined at Twin Towers Correctional Facility, and nine inmates are in isolation at the Correctional Treatment Center, Villanueva said at a news conference Monday.

“All of them are receiving the necessary level of care,” Villanueva said.

He said the Sheriff’s Department had reduced the jail population to 16,459 inmates since Feb. 28, including through the early release of inmates who had less than 30 days of jail time left to serve.

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The new coronavirus is beginning to take a toll on medical workers and other first responders at a time when they are needed to help treat patients.

Two healthcare workers at UC San Diego Health have confirmed COVID-19 infections and are now on home quarantine, officials said Saturday.

The university’s statement did not specify which facilities the employees worked at or their positions. It was also unclear whether either employee was wearing personal protective equipment while on duty.

Both employees are said to be in good health, and the university has “launched an extensive effort to identify any patients or health system colleagues who may have been in recent contact with either of the two health workers.”

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Pasadena, a city with more than 700 restaurants, joined Los Angeles on Monday in announcing it was directing the closure of all bars, gyms and fitness centers, private social clubs and sit-down restaurant service in the city.

The closure was to go into effect immediately. Restaurant take-out and delivery services are exempted from the order. City officials say the new restrictions are necessary to stop large numbers of people from gathering and spending time together in close proximity, City officials gave no date for reopening of those businesses.

“We know how difficult these restrictions will be on small businesses in Pasadena, but public safety is our top priority,” said City Manager Steve Mermell.

“This is a serious situation, and the time for bold action is now. We have an obligation to act in the best interests of our community.”

City officials said those businesses and employers not covered by the closure order were encouraged to find ways to maximize social distancing, including reducing hours and voluntary closure.

Bar, gyms and movie theaters may have been forced to close because of coronavirus concerns, but farmers markets have been deemed essential and will continue to operate under modified conditions in Los Angeles County.

Farmers markets in Beverly Hills, Claremont, Culver City and Rancho Palos Verdes have announced temporary closures in the last week; there was a lingering fear among farmers and shoppers that the same fate would befall other markets across the county.

But according to official guidelines published Sunday evening by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, “to ensure that fresh food is available to residents,” outdoor certified farmers markets will be allowed to operate under these main conditions:

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Even the Terminator isn’t taking any chances when it comes to the coronavirus.

On Sunday, actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger shared a video of himself enjoying self-quarantine as Gov. Gavin Newsom called for 5.3 million senior citizens and other vulnerable groups to stay home.

“Stay at home as much as possible,” Schwarzenegger advised, echoing Newsom’s order. “Listen to the experts, ignore the morons. ... We will get through this together.”

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The All-Star Game is coming to Dodger Stadium on July 14.

For now.

Major League Baseball acknowledged Monday that the start of its season would be delayed for months, not weeks. The league offered no timetable but said it remained “committed to playing as many games as possible when the season begins.”

In accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the earliest MLB could begin the season is May 9, although that appears unlikely. At this point, any firm date is a guess.

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MENLO PARK — All nine counties in the San Francisco Bay Area will be placed under a shelter-in-place directive by public health officials in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus, San Mateo Mayor Joe Goethals said Monday. It’s a move that will close virtually all businesses and direct residents to remain at home.

Goethals said he believed that the order, to be issued Monday afternoon, will put the nine counties on perhaps the most restrictive public health footing anywhere in America since the outbreak of the potentially deadly COVID-19 virus.

Only police and fire departments, hospitals, grocery stores, pharmacies and a few other businesses will be allowed to remain open under the shelter-in-place order, said Goethals, who holds a master’s degree in public health.

Residents will be able to go to grocery stores and other essential services.

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Idris Elba, 47, is the latest celebrity to test positive for the coronavirus.

“I feel OK. I have no symptoms so far but have been isolated since I found out about my possible exposure to he virus,” the actor said Monday in a post on Twitter. “Stay home people and be pragmatic. I will keep you updated on how I’m doing. No panic.”

Elba said he tested positive Monday morning. He recently spoke at the massive WE Day 2020 event in London on March 4. Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also spoke at the event and reportedly posed with the actor. She tested positive last week.

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Universal Pictures, in a bold move to confront the coronavirus’ threat to the movie industry, is collapsing the theatrical window.

In an extraordinary step, the studio on Monday said it would make its movies available in the home on the same day as their global theatrical releases, beginning with DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls World Tour,” opening April 10 in the U.S.

The company will also make movies that are currently in theatrical release available on-demand as early as Friday, starting with “The Invisible Man,” “The Hunt” and “Emma.”

The movies will be available on a wide variety of on-demand services, including iTunes and Google Play for a 48-hour rental period at a suggested retail price of $19.99.

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USC Verdugo Hills Hospital in Glendale admitted its first patient to test positive for the novel coronavirus.

It’s the first confirmed case of the virus that causes COVID-19 in Glendale. Neighboring Pasadena reported its first case last week.

Keith Hobbs, president of USC Verdugo Hills Hospital, where the patient is currently in isolation, announced the positive test to hospital staff Monday morning

“From the moment the patient came to the hospital, our staff followed protocol to ensure their safety and the safety of their colleagues and other patients,” Hobbs said in an email to staff.

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Donovan Mitchell is one of two Utah Jazz players who tested positive for the coronavirus last week. He indicated in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” from isolation Monday that he initially wasn’t happy with Rudy Gobert, his teammate who appeared to have a careless attitude about the outbreak before becoming the first NBA player to test positive for the virus while the team was on the road in Oklahoma City.

In a widely circulated clip from a postgame news conference a week ago, Gobert is seen touching all of the reporters’ microphones and recorders in an apparent attempt to make light of the global outbreak. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Gobert also touched teammates and their belongings in a similar manner before learning Wednesday of his positive test.

Gobert has since publicly apologized “to the people that I might have endangered” and has donated more than $500,000 to support health services in the U.S. and France and employees of the team affected by the coronavirus.

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Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti visited a Ralphs food distribution center in Paramount on Monday morning with several grocery store chain executives in an effort to calm Angelenos worried about the region’s grocery supplies.

Garcetti implored Angelenos not to “panic buy” at supermarkets, and live-streamed his visit on Facebook. “It’s appropriate to buy food for a week, as we do,” Garcetti said. “But to buy so much food for a month, or even for months, has a consequence not just for you but for your loved ones, for grocery workers, and of course for those who are most vulnerable and who need food right now.”

The grocery store executives said stores are being restocked and cleaned.

“Although we are a little bit behind on stocking some shelves, it’s not a supply problem,” said Rob McDougall, president of Gelson’s. “It’s just really a people problem in [getting] that product to the shelves.”

Bryan Kaltenbach, president of Food 4 Less, said: “Try to be prudent in the amount of products that you are buying in one setting.”

Garcetti said the best estimates for the delivery of hand sanitizers being delivered to stores “is a matter of weeks.” He also said that tap water is safe to drink.

There were warnings by politicians and doctors that the pandemic was coming. Mandatory quarantines followed, along with skepticism by a public that felt the threat was all hype.

Then, the deaths started.

This scenario is unfolding across Southern California, as the region bunkers down against coronavirus and reported cases continue to rise.

But the same sequence played out more than 100 years ago.

Archives at UCLA, the Huntington Library and the City of Los Angeles capture the little-remembered history of how Los Angeles and other cities across the Southland weathered the deadly 1918 Spanish flu, which killed an estimated 50 million people worldwide and over 700,000 in the United States.

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Here is the status of Olympic qualifiers for the U.S. and the rest of the world in many of the disciplines.

ATHLETICS: The U.S. Olympic track and field trials are still scheduled for June 19-28 in Eugene, Ore. Other countries use a variety of methods, including trials, world rankings and appointment based on results.

BASEBALL: Four countries — Israel, Mexico, South Korea and Olympics-host Japan — are in the six-team field. The final two spots are to be determined by tournaments that were postponed: An Americas qualifier in Arizona has been indefinitely postponed, and a last-chance qualifying tournament in Taiwan slated for April is now scheduled for June 17-21.

BASKETBALL: Men — eight teams, including the United States, already have qualified. The remaining spots in the 12-nation field will be determined in four winner-take-all six-team tournaments scheduled for June 23-28 in Serbia, Canada, Croatia and Lithuania; Women — the 12-team field was filled in February with four tournaments. Although defending world champion United States and the host Japanese were already guaranteed spots, both finished in position to qualify anyway; 3x3 — FIBA has postponed the qualifying tournament scheduled for March 18-22 in India. A second qualifying tournament scheduled for April in Hungary is in limbo. Four women’s teams and four men’s teams have already qualified for the eight-country fields.

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The Trump administration is alleging that a foreign disinformation campaign is underway aimed at spreading fear in the country amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Federal officials are confronting what they say is a deliberate effort by a foreign entity to sow fears of a nationwide quarantine. They have not named the foreign entity they believe to be responsible. Agencies took coordinated action to deny that any such plans for a quarantine were put in place as they tried to calm a nation already on edge due to disruptions to daily life caused by the virus.

“Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE,” tweeted the National Security Council Sunday night. “There is no national lockdown.”

Tom Hanks has been fielding plenty of warm thoughts down in Australia since he and wife Rita Wilson tested positive for the coronavirus last week. But that all changed with a single tweet Sunday.

“Thanks to the Helpers,” the Oscar winner tweeted from isolation down under, including a photo of a stuffed kangaroo, an Australian flag, a clip-on koala, a tube of Vegemite and, fatefully, some toast. “Let’s take care of ourselves and each other.”

It was the toast, smeared with a thick, espresso-brown spread of Vegemite, that tipped Aussies to the fact that Hanks needed a little more “taking care of” — if not a strong smack upside the head.

Turns out you don’t do Vegemite that way.

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The California Supreme Court on Monday suspended in-person hearings. Lawyers will appear for cases remotely via video or telephone conferences.

According to a court spokesman, it’s not yet been decided whether judges will appear in person or electronically.

The public still will be permitted to attend hearings, but seating will be limited to ensure appropriate distances, the court said.

California Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye is preparing emergency orders to further curtail court operations in San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Marin, Nevada and San Luis Obispo counties. The orders permit courts to waive legal deadlines in both civil and criminal cases.

The Bay Area continued to see a growing number of cases of the coronavirus, with the Silicon Valley region reporting 114 cases and rising.

Santa Clara County has been the epicenter of the virus in California, with officials saying 52 of those cases were a result of community spread.

Officials in Santa Clara County and other counties have ordered an end to social gatherings.

“As the outbreak of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County continues to accelerate, our aggressive measures are designed to slow the spread of disease and protect critical healthcare system capacity and other essential services,” said Dr. Sara Cody, Santa Clara County public health officer, in a statement. “We recognize these actions will have a significant impact on the lives of our citizens, but we believe they are necessary to protect the well-being of our community.”

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced sweeping new measures in an effort to stem the spread of the coronavirus in Britain.

He said Britain was on the cusp of a “fast growth” phase of the pandemic and “drastic action” was necessary as cases could start to double every five or six days.

During the first of his now-daily news conferences, Johnson said that whole households should isolate for 14 days if anyone within the home had symptoms of the virus, namely a fever or a new, persistent cough.

He also called on all British citizens to keep their distance from one another, work from home, avoid nonessential travel and avoid pubs, clubs and restaurants.

“Now is the time for everyone to stop nonessential contact with others,” Johnson said, adding that anyone older than 70, pregnant women and people with underlying health conditions were particularly vulnerable. Johnson said the epidemic was spreading faster in London than in the rest of Britain, and although raw numbers were still relatively low, he expected them to start to accelerate rapidly.

On Monday, Wales reported its first death from COVID-19, bringing the nationwide death toll to 36. The British government has still not closed schools, but that may become necessary at some point soon.

Forget predictions that the U.S. economy will enter a recession this year due to the coronavirus pandemic — the UCLA Anderson Forecast says it has happened already.

On Monday, the school revised a forecast it issued just last week that had stopped short of predicting a recession. The revised version says the economy has already stopped growing and will remain in recession through the end of September.

This is the first time in the 68-year history of the forecast that it has been updated before its planned quarterly update.

Economists at the the UCLA Anderson School of Management — the university’s graduate business school — said they revised the forecast after incorporating a review of how the 1957–58 H2N2 influenza pandemic affected the U.S. economy.

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The NBA will suspend drug testing of players while the league is in a hiatus.

According to a source familiar with the decision but not authorized to speak publicly, the decision is a logistical one — players have been allowed to return home and have been encouraged to limit unnecessary contact while the league deals with COVID-19. It’s one of a handful of changes to league procedure brought on by the pandemic.

The virus has brought the NBA, along with other professional sports, to a stop, with the NBA readying for a lengthy interruption to their season — if they’re able to resume it.

Yahoo first reported the testing pause.

With more pre-Games qualifying events canceled or postponed over the weekend, Olympic leaders are planning to hold a series of teleconferences with major sports organizations regarding the coronavirus situation.

Rowing and modern pentathlon were the latest in a growing list of international federations to put competitions on hold because of the outbreak.

“We care about all athletes and their health,” said Aya Medany, chair of the UIPM Athletes Committee, in a statement, “and the cancellation of events throughout March and April is the best way to protect them until we know more about the impact of this coronavirus.”

The International Olympic Committee’s executive board is scheduled to have a teleconference Tuesday to prepare for calls later this week with international federations and national Olympic committees representing various countries.

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San Francisco has shuttered its courts for most cases. Civil jury trials are being postponed for 90 days. All in-person visits involving guardianship and conservatorship cases also are suspended until April 15, 2020.

San Mateo County Superior Court is postponing all traffic cases.

It’s hard enough to date in a perfect world, let alone one filled with the coronavirus.

Since my divorce nearly a decade ago, I’ve come to learn that looking for love is filled with anxiety, euphoria and disappointment; still, I am standing.

Because I am 71, health and finances are critical to my peace of mind. I never dreamed of having to add “social distancing” and hoarding to the list.

The notion of looking for Mr. or Ms. Right in the age of COVID-19 seems to be evolving rather quickly into elbow bumps and phone dates.

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Since I shared tips on how to keep your home kitchen clean, we’ve gotten a fresh batch of, “Wait, how should I be washing stuff in my kitchen?” questions. We’re here (at [email protected]) for it.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared on its coronavirus FAQ page: “We are not aware of any reports at this time of human illnesses that suggest COVID-19 can be transmitted by food or food packaging.”

Dr. Jennifer Ling, an infectious disease specialist, explains how it is transmitted: “Typically, patients acquire COVID-19 through close contacts with others who transmit droplets that land on another’s mouth and/or nose. It is also possible to acquire it if you contact a surface with the live virus, then touch your mouth, nose or eyes.”

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A pharmacist gives Jennifer Haller a coronavirus vaccination in an early-stage test.

(Ted S. Warren / Associated Press)

SEATTLE — U.S. researchers gave the first shot to the first person in a test of an experimental coronavirus vaccine Monday — leading off a worldwide hunt for protection even as the pandemic surges.

With a careful jab in a healthy volunteer’s arm, scientists at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Research Institute in Seattle begin an anxiously awaited first-stage study of a potential COVID-19 vaccine, developed in record time after the new virus exploded from China and fanned across the globe.

“We’re team coronavirus now,” Kaiser Permanente study leader Dr. Lisa Jackson said on the eve of the experiment. “Everyone wants to do what they can in this emergency.”

The Associated Press observed as the study’s first participant, Jennifer Haller, an operations manager at a small tech company, received the injection inside an exam room. Three others were next in line for a test that would ultimately give 45 volunteers two doses, a month apart.

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Movies theater chains were reeling from the coronavirus pandemic after city officials in Los Angeles and New York over the weekend ordered cinemas and other venues to close and box office receipts sunk to historic lows.

Shares of AMC Entertainment, owner of the nation’s largest chain, plummeted 16% to $2.70 in midday trading Monday. Cinemark Holdings’ stock dropped 25% to $11.05, while Imax fell 11% to $9.88. The markets plunged broadly due to worries about the crisis, triggering a halt of trading on Wall Street.

Mayor Eric Garcetti in a Sunday night video news conference said movie theaters in Los Angeles must close to help slow the spread of the virus.

The closures, which also affect bowling alleys, bars, nightclubs, gyms and fitness centers, went into effect at midnight and were set to run through March 31. Restaurants are closed for dine-in business but can stay open for take-out and delivery, Garcetti said.

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World Health Organization director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has noted a recent dramatic increase in social-distancing measures such as school and business closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

There has not been, however, a commensurate rise in testing and isolating contacts, which are both required to stop an outbreak, he said.

“You cannot fight a fire blindfolded, and we cannot stop this pandemic if we do not know who is infected,” Tedros said during a news briefing Monday. “We have a simple message for all countries: Test, test, test.”

He said all those suspected to have the coronavirus should be able to be tested. Responding to the outbreak requires political commitment at the highest level, he said. “That whole government approach should ... be able to mobilize the whole society and make sure that this response becomes everybody’s business,” he said.

Tedros said crises like pandemics tend to bring out the “best and worst in humanity.” The world is likely still early in this outbreak, he added.

“This is the defining global health crisis of our time,” he said. “The days, weeks and months ahead will be a test of our resolve, a test of our trust in science and a test of our solidarity.”

NHL players have been told to go home and self-isolate until the end of March, suggesting any potential return to play is many weeks away.

The National Hockey League and NHL Players’ Assn. sent out separate memos Monday detailing the new directive, which comes on the heels of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendation that people not hold gatherings of 50 or more for the next eight weeks because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Players had previously been told to remain in their team’s city and await direction.

After saying last week the season was on “pause,” Commissioner Gary Bettman had refused to put a time frame on when the NHL could resume play. Sending players home, including to other countries, pushes back the earliest possible return to at least May.

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State and federal agencies are calling Costa Mesa’s objections to using the Fairview Developmental Center as a coronavirus quarantine site “premature,” “speculation” and lacking a basis for “extraordinary disruption and intervention.”

U.S. District Judge Josephine Staton issued an injunction Friday preventing the transport of anyone infected with or exposed to the COVID-19 virus to any location in Costa Mesa before a hearing scheduled for 2 p.m. Monday at the federal courthouse in Santa Ana.

Federal defendants named in the city’s filing Friday — including the Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Defense, Air Force and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — said the city overstepped its bounds by interfering in the agencies’ handling of a public health crisis.

The city also named as defendants the state of California and its Office of Emergency Services and Department of General Services, and the Fairview Developmental Center, which is state-owned.

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Santa Monica Pier is temporarily closed in light of the coronavirus threat.

(Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)

As part of its response to the coronavirus, the city of Santa Monica ordered the temporary closure of its iconic pier, effective 6 a.m. Monday.

The closure also affects the Santa Monica Pier’s parking deck and businesses and applies to both people and cars, according to the city.

“We welcome thousands of guests to our Pier each and every day, so we take this step out of the deepest desire to keep people at home and healthy,” City Manager Rick Cole said in a statement.

“We love our Pier and the joy it brings to everyone that visits, but in this moment, we must take aggressive actions to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

In a Facebook post, the Santa Monica Pier Corp. expressed “full support of the city’s decision.”

“Though this will heavily impact the Pier businesses and their staff, amid this public health crisis it’s the right thing to do,” officials wrote. “We know that once it’s safe, our iconic Pier will play an important role in bringing back the best in fun! To all of our visitors, from all over the world, and from all walks of life, we look forward to welcoming you back.”

Whoever coined the showbiz adage that “the show must go on” certainly couldn’t have predicted the month of March 2020, when most shows are definitely not going on, or going anywhere.

They’ve been hijacked by a malignant virus which has stretched its talons around the globe, closing theme parks, ball parks, schools and even Broadway’s famed Great White Way.

Orange County’s normally thriving live theater scene is far from exempt with the announcement of a series of postponements or outright cancellations. If you’re planning to see one of our local stage productions soon, prepare to be disappointed.

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SACRAMENTO — Weeks after the first coronavirus case in California was confirmed, fewer than 9,000 tests have been conducted throughout the state.

The lack of testing has made it harder to track the spread of the virus.

Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday he hoped the state could quickly ramp up testing in the coming days, with help from a Quest Lab in San Juan Capistrano, which is now conducting about 1,200 tests a day.

“That will substantially ramp up in the next week or so with the two additional [Quest] labs that will come online. We’ll get those tests just from that commercial lab up to 5,000, as much as 5,500, a day,” he said. “We are increasing our capacity on an hourly basis, not just a daily basis.”

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The NFL draft is staying put.

The league announced Monday that it would stay the course on the April 23-25 draft in Las Vegas amid the COVID-19 outbreak but that public festivities surrounding the event had been canceled.

The league said it was exploring innovative options for how the process would be conducted and would provide that information as it became available. The selection process will be televised.

“This decision reflects our foremost priority — the health and safety of all fans and citizens,” Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a written statement. “While this outcome is disappointing both to the NFL and to the Las Vegas community, we look forward to partnering with the Raiders, the City of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority for a future NFL Draft as well as evaluating opportunities for other major NFL events in Las Vegas in the future, including the Super Bowl.”

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European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, shown in 2019 in Athens, is urging a ban that would keep tourists out of the EU.

(Thanassis Stavrakis / Associated Press)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants the European Union to put in place a 30-day ban on people entering the bloc unless their travel is essential, in an effort to curb the spread of the new coronavirus.

On the eve of an EU summit via video conference, Von der Leyen said Monday, “I propose to the heads of states and government to introduce temporary restrictions on nonessential travel to the European Union.

“The less travel, the more we can contain the virus,” she said in a video message.

Von der Leyen says that people with long-term EU residency or who are family members of European citizens, plus diplomats, doctors and health care workers could be exempted from the ban. Transport workers could also be exempt to help keep goods flowing.

As businesses across Los Angeles temporarily close or ask employees to work from home to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the city’s more than 50,000 government employees are still being asked to go to work, with several exceptions, according to emergency guidelines issued by the city’s personnel department.

City employees can’t refuse to go to work out of fear that they’ll be infected with the virus, Wendy Macy, general manager of the city’s personnel department, wrote in a memo to department heads Friday. Telecommuting options are available for some employees, though, the memo said.

Alex Comisar, spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the city was taking guidance from public health experts on its leave policy.

“The city has a duty to deliver critical services throughout this public health crisis,” Comisar said. “That means we need healthy workers on the job.”

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For Billy Gasparino, it all happened so fast.

A week ago, the Dodgers’ director of amateur scouting began preparing his department for a slowdown and possible suspension of high school and college baseball games around the country in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as governing bodies began implementing bans on large gatherings.

Two days later, Gasparino was in Texas on a scouting trip and planned to attend more games this weekend. By Thursday morning, those games were canceled. Hours later, he was home in Los Angeles, unsure when he’d be back on the road to evaluate players for the upcoming 2020 draft — whenever it happens, if it happens.

Major League Baseball suspended spring training and delayed the start of the regular season by at least two weeks Thursday, but the coronavirus outbreak was already going to affect one significant event on the league’s calendar: the first-year player draft held every June.

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WASHINGTON —The Supreme Court announced Monday it would not hold oral arguments during the next two weeks due to the cononarvirus, the first postponement of its kind since 1918.

“In keeping with public health precautions recommended in response to COVID-19, the Supreme Court is postponing the oral arguments currently scheduled for the March session (March 23-25 and March 30-April 1). The court will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances,” the court’s public information office said in a statement.

The court had been scheduled to hear arguments in several high-profile cases, including President Trump’s appeal of three lower court rulings that would require his accountants to disclose his tax returns to several House committees and to a New York district attorney.

It is not clear whether the postponement will change how or when the court decides those cases. Typically, the justices hear oral arguments through the end of April and issue opinions in those cases by the end of June. But both schedules can be changed. The justices have at times heard arguments in May and have not released their final rulings until July.

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Bars and restaurants will become takeout-only, and businesses including movie theaters, gyms and more will be shuttered Monday night throughout New York, New Jersey and Connecticut because of the coronavirus, the states’ governors said.

The governors said essential businesses such as supermarkets and gas stations would be able to stay open after 8 p.m. Monday, though all nonessential businesses must close. Restaurants will be able to offer take-out and delivery.

The steps mark the latest escalation of efforts to keep people apart in the New York metropolitan area in hopes of curbing the spread of the virus, and an attempt to coordinate a regional response in the face of what the states’ Democratic governors called lagging federal action.

“We’ve got to work through this together. The feds have been asleep at the switch,” Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont told reporters on a conference call. He and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy are Democrats.

New York City bars and restaurants were already set to shut their dining rooms and take up their bar stools Tuesday morning under a plan that Democratic Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Sunday.

Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts and Washington state also are among places that have ordered bars to close and restaurants to stop dine-in service.

The high school sports season has been halted because of the coronavirus pandemic. Schools are closed. College recruiters can’t leave campuses until April 15 at the earliest under new NCAA rules. What’s a high school senior in basketball or spring sports supposed to do with no games being played and no recruiting going on?

Torino Johnson, the women’s basketball coach at Cal State Los Angeles and a former head coach at Palisades, says now is the perfect time for athletes to show off their 21st century skills in social media, computers and videos by becoming proactive.

“This is the time to be sending videos and resumes” to recruiters, he said. “No one can actually physically see you. Everything is going to be virtual... Dominate that set.”

Those “who who don’t embrace the 21st century approach are going to struggle,” Johnson said. “If you’re a student athlete who doesn’t have a scholarship or inkling what to do, I would recommend they use their social media and that they be very professional in sending emails. They should be proactive.”

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The president of Catalonia, the northeastern Spanish region that for two years has been embroiled in an independence conflict, has tested positive for COVID-19, the regional government announced Monday afternoon.

Quim Torra has been in quarantine in a building near the Generalitat, Catalonia’s seat of government, since Sunday. The region’s vice president, Pere Aragones, announced Sunday he also tested positive for the disease.

On Saturday, the Spanish central government announced that Begoña Gómez, wife of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, had contracted the disease. The same day, officials announced a nationwide lockdown, prohibiting residents from leaving their homes except in necessary circumstances, such as buying groceries or going to the pharmacy. Airlines have canceled thousands of flights into the country.

The White House has canceled the famed Easter Egg Roll set to take place next month.

Biola University’s track and field team was supposed to spend Saturday competing at Occidental College. But as concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus grew in recent days, the meet was canceled.

The Eagles’ backup plan, a meet at Cal State Fullerton, was soon canceled as well, and before Sean Henning, the cross-country and track and field coach at the Christian university in La Mirada since 2015, could even send in his entries to yet another meet near San Diego, it too was called off.

Soon, there were no more options. Hours after the NCAA canceled all winter and spring championships Thursday, joining other leagues that banned large-scale gatherings in hopes of slowing the virus’ spread, the PacWest Conference, in which Biola competes at the Division II level, suspended all competitions through March 30.

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As the Friday release date of Nintendo’s “Animal Crossing: New Horizons” approaches, there have been calls on social media for the Japanese video game giant to unleash the latest edition of the game series early — to pull a similar advance-release move as Disney did by placing “Frozen 2” on its streaming service ahead of schedule.

The argument: During these stressed-out times, when many are working from home or in isolation because of the fear of spreading the novel coronavirus, “Animal Crossing,” for those lucky enough to have access to a Nintendo Switch, is something of a healing tonic.

They are correct.

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Los Angeles will be on a form of lockdown it’s never seen in modern times amid the coronavirus outbreak.

“Our decisions will determine the fate of our loved ones, the length of this crisis,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said in announcing the restrictions Sunday. “We need to take these steps to protect our city right now. The work we do now will have an impact on the city’s history. We need to do everything now to stop the spread of this virus.”

The restrictions are to last through March 31.

Here is what you need to know:

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Orange County now has 17 coronavirus cases, including three believed spread through the community.

Many Orange County schools will be closed beginning Monday, and officials are preparing grab-and-go meals for children in need. Visits to local jails and juvenile facilities also have been suspended.

Orange County public libraries are closed.

Officials said 160 people had been tested so far in the county.

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U.S. stocks plunged 8.1% at the open, triggering a 15-minute trading halt as investors fled risk assets amid the mounting economic toll of the coronavirus outbreak. Treasuries surged despite dramatic moves from the Federal Reserve and other central banks.

Hyper-turbulent financial markets started the week back in risk-off mode, with investors trying to assess the likely extent of the economic damage after countries around the world moved to combat the virus spread by virtually shutting down social activity.

“The market’s in panic mode,” Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist for MUFG Union Bank, said in a phone interview. “The move overnight was a shock and the market isn’t taking it as the Fed officials riding to the rescue. They’re taking it as ‘get out of the way, look out below, this could be really, really bad.’”

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The U.S. Health and Human Services Department suffered a cyberattack on its computer system Sunday night during the nation’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, according to three people familiar with the matter.

The attack appears to have been intended to slow the agency’s systems down, but it didn’t do so in any meaningful way, said the people, who asked for anonymity to discuss an incident that was not public.

The National Security Council tweeted just before midnight: “Text message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown. @CDCgov has and will continue to post the latest guidance on #COVID19.”

The NSC tweet was related to the hacking and the release of disinformation, according to one of the people. The government realized Sunday that there had been a cyber intrusion and false information was circulating.

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Talk swirling around the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in recent weeks, with some people suggesting the coronavirus outbreak will force a postponement, might seem reasonable.

Professional sports leagues around the globe have suspended play. The NCAA canceled March Madness. Even President Trump has weighed in on the fate of the upcoming Summer Games.

“I would say maybe they postpone it for a year,” he told reporters. “I like that better than having empty stadiums all over the place.”

But the response from Olympic leaders and Japanese officials has been adamant: a repeated insistence on forging ahead. At a Saturday news conference, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said: “We will overcome the spread of the infection and host the Olympics without problem, as planned.”

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A performer at Rocco’s in West Hollywood on Sunday.

(Christina House / Los Angeles Times)

In a sweeping effort to slow the spread of coronavirus in California, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday urged people 65 and older and those with chronic health conditions to isolate themselves from others — a directive that reflects the fast-moving nature of a public health crisis that threatens the well-being of some 40 million Californians.

Hours later, Mayor Eric Garcetti said Los Angeles bars and nightclubs would close and restaurants must halt dine-in service and limit their business to takeout orders until March 31. The order became effective at midnight Sunday.

Movie theaters, gyms and fitness centers will be closed, Garcetti said in a video news conference Sunday night. Grocery stores, pharmacies and food banks will remain open. Garcetti also announced a moratorium on evictions for renters.

Newsom also called on bars and brewery and winery tasting rooms statewide to close their doors to patrons as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the state continued to rise.

Though many businesses have been affected by a slower stream of customers, bars in West Hollywood were packed on Sunday afternoon.

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Kim Schoen, left, and Michelle Accardo spend time at Patrick Molloy’s Sports Pub in Hermosa Beach. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday issued an order for bars to close because of the spread of the coronavirus.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

As schools closed and store shelves emptied of toilet paper, Joseph Sanchez realized that life as he knew it was grinding to a halt.

What was next? Perhaps even bars would close to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus that has killed more than 6,500 people worldwide?

Sanchez invited a friend, Marcos Avina, to meet at their favorite spot, Glendale Tap, for what he termed “one more moment of normality.”

His hunch proved prescient.

As he and Avina sipped craft beers Sunday afternoon at the neighborhood bar on San Fernando Road, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that bars in California should close their doors, restaurants should seat customers farther apart, and senior citizens should isolate themselves.

“This could be the last bar we go to in a long time,” said Avina, 40, a bill collector for Spectrum, the internet and cable company.

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A worker welds the ends of a 40-foot shelter at Atlas Survival Shelters in Montebello in 2013.

(Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)

The crowd outside the survival store in Upland stood waiting as the manager opened shop a few minutes early.

On a normal Friday, that eager crew wouldn’t be there.

But as droves of Californians snap up enough pasta to feed Napoleon’s retreat from Moscow and raid shelves of toilet paper in the age of the novel coronavirus, some are prepping for the worst.

That means flocking to stores like Prep and Save and snatching up their stock of survival food, hand sanitizer and masks, canceling vacations and, for those envisioning future disasters, investing in shelters.

“Our phones have been ringing off the hook,” said Tony DeCastro, manager of Prep and Save, as dozens of customers milled around the aisles. “People are buying whatever they can get their hands on.”

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An Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

(John van Hasselt / Getty Images)

It was time for the coveted sobriety chips, so Grace snapped on a pair of plastic gloves and kept a bit of distance as she doled out medallions to members who had gone 30, 60 and 90 days without a drink.

Normally, she hugs the people gathered here in this church on the Westside, but on Thursday she offered them a small namaste bow instead.

This is what an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting looks like during a pandemic.

“AA can’t totally close its doors,” said Grace, a 49-year-old yoga teacher, who asked to be identified by her middle name to respect the group’s anonymity pledge. “We don’t know when someone’s going to crawl in in desperation.”

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