Disneyland to close amid Coronavirus concerns

Sweeping guidance for Californians to avoid unnecessary garings to try to prevent spread of new Coronavirus will likely extend beyond March, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Thursday, just before Disneyland anunced it would close its California me parks.

statewide guidance applies to sporting events, concerts and even smaller social garings in places where people can’t remain at least 6 feet (2 meters) apart. Major changes to daily life and business will ripple across nation’s most populous state and world’s fifth-largest ecomy.

Disneyland Resort cited guidance in saying it would close Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park through end of month, though re have been reported cases of new virus. anuncement doesn’t affect Disney World in Florida.

Newsom told reporters earlier Thursday that guidance did t yet apply to amusement parks, but after Disneyland’s anuncement, said company made “right call in interest of public health.” His statement said to expect more such anuncements.

An extended restriction on large garings could furr affect Major League Baseball, which just cancelled spring training and postponed its season for at least two weeks. California is home to five professional baseball teams.

guidance is t an official ban — like Seattle metro area and San Francisco have instituted — and Newsom said California’s legal authority is limited when it comes to enforcement.

“I have all expectation that it will be advanced and will be adopted. Invariably, what happens if it isn’t? I’m t concerned about that,” Democratic goverr said, adding that state has ways it can step up enforcement if necessary.

Newsom said 21 more Californians tested positive for COVID-19 virus Wednesday, bringing total to 198 infections. Four people have died.

Initially, some of state’s testing kits were t complete because y lacked certain chemicals, Newsom said. All testing backlogs have since been eliminated, but federal government needs to work closely with state and local governments to ensure complete tests are available, he said.

 California Department of Public Health advisory says events with 250 people or more should be postponed or cancelled and garings of people at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 should be limited to more than 10.

“t holding that concert or community event can have cascading effects — saving dozens of lives and preserving critical health care resources that your family may need a month from w,” Newsom said in a statement Wednesday.

guidance was formalized in an executive order Thursday that eliminates a one-week waiting period and delays tax filing deadline for people and businesses affected by virus, allows state and local legislatures to hold meetings via teleconference and more. It also allows state to commandeer property if necessary that could be used for quarantining and treating infected people or orwise managing outbreak.

It vastly expands California’s response to outbreak as cities and ors have instituted ever-increasing methods to curtail spread of virus. San Francisco, Oakland and Santa Clara County, which includes Silicon Valley, banned garings of 1,000 or more people.

Still, both houses of state Legislature met as planned, allowing members of public to watch, and leaders have anunced plans to halt sessions. In contrast, Los Angeles City Hall closed to n-city employees, and Mayor Eric Garcetti halted all meetings and garings at city properties expected to attract more than 50 people.

Corrections officials cancelled daily visits at all state prisons until furr tice. re are suspected or confirmed cases of virus at any lockups.

Meanwhile, officials in Oakland will continue painstaking process of removing nearly 500 passengers remaining on cruise ship hit by virus, all of m n-California residents and foreigners. About 2,000 passengers have been moved off Grand Princess and transported to military bases around U.S. for a two-week quarantine.

More than 20 passengers have been diagsed with virus, as well as 19 crew members. After being forced to idle off coast for days and n docking Monday, ship was originally slated to leave Thursday, but California will allow it to remain through Sunday, Newsom said.

Princess Cruises anunced a two-month pause of global operations on Thursday that will gradually sideline all 18 of its cruise ships.

After a woman in her 90s died of coronavirus, health officials defended a decision t to quarantine a senior living facility in Elk Grove near Sacramento.

Carlton Senior Living, which has 13 assisted living facilities in rrn California, said resident died at a hospital Tuesday.