
Dr Sam Fink, who is a primary care physician treating coronavirus patients in Tarzana - the wealthy Los Angeles suburb just 10 miles from Kim Kardashian 's Calabasas home, has warned that the disease is unlike anything he has ever seen

A California doctor has urged officials to close down local schools immediately as he revealed he was treating three 'very ill' young men with coronavirus near the Los Angeles celebrity suburb of Calabasas.

The three men, who were part of a group of 14 on a skiing holiday, traveled back to the United States on February 27 after visiting Cortina d'Ampezzo in Northern Italy's Dolomite Mountains, DailyMail.com previously revealed.

Dr Sam Fink, who is a primary care physician treating coronavirus patients in Tarzana - the Los Angeles suburb just 10 miles from Kim Kardashian's Calabasas home, has warned that the disease is unlike anything he has ever seen.

They friends the men were traveling with have all tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr Frink said one of his patients is being treated at the Tarzana Medical Center, the second is being treated at another facility and that he is friends with a third patient.

'I have practiced for over 30 years, and have seen it all, or so I thought. Nothing has worried me like this,' he wrote on Facebook on Sunday, adding that he has been shocked to see the impact of the fast-spreading virus.

'Essentially, 14 men went on a ski trip to Northern Italy. All have become ill, and all 14 have tested positive for coronavirus. Of the 14, four needed to be hospitalized, and of the four patients, three are very ill as I write this. One had a significant pre-existing medical condition. The other three did not, and are relatively young.'

The Los Angeles County Health Department has confirmed eight cases of coronavirus among a group of travelers who recently returned from northern Italy.

Sources told DailyMail.com that the other members of the group, who reside elsewhere in the US and abroad, have also fallen ill since returning home. One of the men, an American living in Switzerland, is understood to be in a coma.

'The news out of Northern Italy today is not good,' Dr Fink said as he urged the public to take measures beyond vigorous hand washing and hand sanitizing.

He also urged schools to close and locals to avoid big groups.

Fink shared an alarming post Sunday saying: 'Nothing has worried me like this' urging schools to be shut down immediately and for people to avoid large gatherings including sporting events and concerts

A group of 14 friends - some who live in Los Angeles - have tested positive for coronavirus following a trip to the Cortina d'Ampezzo (above) in Italy's Dolomite Mountains in February

One of those who returned from Italy is now said to be quarantined at Tarzana Medical Center (pictured) after arriving at LAX at the end of February

Three of the men on the trip live in Tarzana, which is about 10 miles from the city of Calabasas and home to Kim Kardashian. The men were among a group of about 15 who traveled back to the United States on February 27 after visiting Cortina d'Ampezzo in the Dolomite Mountains

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS? Like other coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold and that triggered SARS, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness. The most common symptoms are: Fever

Dry cough

Shortness of breath

Difficulty breathing

Fatigue Although having a runny nose doesn't rule out coronavirus, it doesn't thus far appear to be a primary symptom. Most people only become mildly ill, but the infection can turn serious and even deadly, especially for those who are older or have underlying health conditions. In these cases, patients develop pneumonia, which can cause: Potentially with yellow, green or bloody mucus Fever, sweating and shaking chills

Shortness of breath Rapid or shallow breathing

Pain when breathing, especially when breathing deeply or coughing

Low appetite, energy and fatigue

Nausea and vomiting (more common in children) Confusion (more common in elderly people)

Some patients have also reported diarrhea and kidney failure has occasionally been a complication. Avoid people with these symptoms. If you develop them, call your health care provider before going to the hospital or doctor, so they and you can prepare to minimize possible exposure if they suspect you have coronavirus. Advertisement

'I recommend to all who read this that you avoid going to large group events such as sporting events, and concerts,' he said. 'I believe that all schools should be closed immediately and classes conducted online, which is relatively simple. I know that so far, children infected with CV have done relatively well, but they might come home and hug Grandpa, who won't do so well.

'Avoid contact with others as much as possible. CV in the United States is at a relatively early stage, but it won't last there for long. Make sure you have any medications you need, as well as supplies, but panicking hurts all of us,' Fink warned.

Dr Fink noted that while US cases of coronavirus are just a fraction of what is going on abroad, it was only a matter of time before the epidemic grows.

'My biggest hope is that I am totally wrong, and that you will all wonder in a few weeks what the hell I was talking about. But I have a pretty good track record, and I think you should take steps now to protect yourselves and your family. There is little cost to taking extra precaution right now, and the earlier, the better.'

Pam Angel revealed last week that her husband and two adult sons were among the group who returned from the Italian ski trip. She said her husband and one son were in self-quarantine, while her other son was being treated in hospital with underlying health issues.

'He can't talk without coughing. He feels like he has a pallet of bricks on his chest, he's not eating,' she told KCBS-TV about her ill son.

A fourth man, a US citizen who was also on the trip, is said to be in a coma in Switzerland, where he now resides.

The rest of the men who were on the trip, who were said to be 'previously healthy guys in their 40s and 50s' have all since fallen ill, with one coughing up blood, according to sources.

They live in states across the US, including Arizona where six cases have been reported.

Italy has been hard-hit by the coronavirus where more than 9,000 people have tested positive for the diseases, and more than 400 people have died as of Monday evening. Northern Italy has seen the highest concentration of infection cases and on Monday Italy announced a country-wide lockdown affecting its 60 million people.

In the US there are more than 750 cases of coronavirus and 26 deaths. In California alone there are 143 cases and two deaths.

A woman in her 60s died in Santa Clara County on Monday. Last week, a man in his 70s died in Placer County after getting off the Grand Princess cruise ship.

The outbreak has prompted concerned officials to heed the warnings of medical experts with school announcing closures in California and other parts of the country.

UC Berkely announced Monday it will suspend most in-person classes starting from Tuesday. Stanford University also announced it would hold only online classes last week. USC is testing online classes this week. Harvard students have been told not to return to class after the spring break, and classes will resume online.

Meanwhile, Northern California's largest school district in Sacramento County is closed this week. Only a small handful of California schools have closed and some have been temporary closed for cleaning.

Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy in Beverly Hills will be closed until at least Thursday. Clifton Middle School in Monrovia was deep-cleaned Thursday after officials became aware that a person who might have the virus had been on campus, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Tarzana, where three of the men live, is less than 10 miles away from the exclusive neighborhood of Calabasas, which is home to several celebrities including Kim Kardashian (left). Pam Angel (right) told KCBS-TV that her husband and two sons were on the trip and all three have tested positive

Meanwhile, thousands of passengers aboard a cruise ship struck by the coronavirus waited anxiously on Tuesday for their chance to leave the vessel, even if it meant being shipped to military bases for weeks of quarantine.

After days of being forced to idle off the Northern California coast, the Grand Princess docked Monday at the Port of Oakland with some 3,500 passengers and crew on board.

About two dozen people who need acute medical care were taken off the ship, although it wasn't clear how many had tested positive for the new virus, according to Brian Ferguson, a spokesman for the California Office of Emergency Services.

Many of the nearly 240 Canadians on board left the ship after the critically ill and stood outside two tents displaying Canadian flags. Canada and the UK were among the countries sending chartered flights to retrieve their citizens.

But some 2,000 passengers, including hundreds of Californians, were still aboard by the time disembarkation ended Monday night. It was to resume on Tuesday morning, the captain told passengers.

The Grand Princess had been held off the coast since Wednesday because of evidence that it was the breeding ground for more than 20 infections tied to a previous voyage.

US passengers will be flown or bused from the port - chosen for its proximity to an airport and a military base - to bases in California, Texas and Georgia for testing and a 14-day quarantine.

Some arrived on Monday night at Travis Air Force Base in Northern California. The ship carried people from 54 countries and foreigners were to be whisked home.

About 1,100 crew members, 19 of whom have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship, which will dock elsewhere after passengers are unloaded, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said.

The California governor and Oakland mayor sought to reassure people that none of the cruise ship passengers would be exposed to the public before completing the quarantine. Officials were trying to decide where the ship and its crew would go next.

Cruise ships have come under scrutiny by those who view them as potential germ factories because they pack thousands of people in close quarters.

Another Princess ship, the Diamond Princess, was quarantined for two weeks in Yokohama, Japan, last month because of the virus. Ultimately, about 700 of the 3,700 people aboard became infected in what experts pronounced a public health failure.

A third vessel, the Caribbean Princess, was supposed to dock in Grand Cayman on Monday but the cruise line said it will keep its thousands of passengers and crews from disembarking until crew members are tested for COVID-19.

Thousands of people on board the Grand Princess cruise ship are also being evacuated in San Francisco after at least 21 people on board fell sick with the virus

Canadian passengers are disembarked and lined up behind tents denoted with the country's flag on Monday after the 21 infected passengers were removed. Canadian citizens will be repatriated back home

Around the world, nations have limited the movements of millions of people in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. Italy was to impose travel restrictions and other strict public health measures nationwide starting Tuesday.

In Northern California, Santa Clara County announced a ban of all large gatherings of at least 1,000 people for the rest of the month in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The virus has shaken global markets, with stocks taking their worst one-day beating on Wall Street since 2008 and oil prices suffering their most brutal losses since the start of the 1991 Gulf War. Even with Asian markets posting modest gains Tuesday, fear was rampant that economies stood at the brink of recession.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover. In mainland China, where the virus first exploded, more than 80,000 people have been diagnosed and more than 58,000 have so far recovered.

Surgeon General Jerome Adams said communities will need to start thinking about canceling large gatherings, closing schools and letting more employees work from home, as many companies have done after an outbreak in the Seattle area.

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Donald Trump has NOT been tested for coronavirus despite his new chief of staff Mark Meadows going into quarantine along with Air Force One passenger Matt Gaetz who revealed Trump asked to see him DESPITE fears he has virus

President Donald Trump has not been tested for the novel coronavirus, the White House revealed in a statement late Monday, even though he has been in contact with a slew of politicians who have gone under self-quarantine.

The president refused to answer repeated questions on whether he had been tested or not for the virus during a press conference earlier on Monday.

Vice President Mike Pence said he hadn't been tested and wasn't sure if Trump had been, but promised to give an answer to that question later in the evening.

Rep. Gaetz following President Trump up the stairs of Air Force One in Orlando on Monday

President Trump waves as he boards Air Force One in Orlando, Gaetz can be seen to the president's left, standing in the distance. The congressman told The Washington Post he was put into a 'closed up room' on Air Force One after he found out he might have been exposed to coronavirus. After landing, Trump 'coaxed' him up front before leaving

'The President has not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms,' White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement.

'President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him.'

However, that same evening Trump's new acting chief of staff Mark Meadows and Congressman Matt Gaetz, who traveled on Air Force One with the president hours earlier, both announced they were exposed to the virus and were under self-quarantine.

Both Meadows and Gaetz said they were exposed after they came into contact with an individual at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) last month who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

Meadows, who was appointed last week, announced he will self-isolate in his home 'out of an abundance of caution' after he was exposed to the virus.

'Meadows received testing which came back negative. While he’s experiencing zero symptoms, under doctors' standard precautionary recommendations, he'll remain at home until the 14 day period expires this Wednesday,' Meadows' spokesperson Ben Williamson said.

It comes after Congressman Matt Gaetz also announced Monday he will self-quarantine after coming in contact with a person with the virus at CPAC.

Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, Paul Gosar of Arizona, and Doug Collins of Georgia, had already announced they will quarantine as well after attending the conference.

Trump has been exposed to at least three people who have gone into self-quarantine as a precaution.

Those people include Gaetz, American Conservative Union chairman Matt Schlapp who shook hands with someone infected days earlier, and Rep Doug Collins who he shook hands with on Friday as they toured the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The president left a White House briefing on the disease after making a brief statement on the economic measures his administration was taking to combat the economic shake-up.

He left the room and didn't answer as multiple journalists asked him if he had been tested for the virus.

Vice President Mike Pence, who stayed to continue the briefing, said he has never been tested for the virus.

Pence and President Trump both attended the Conservative Political Action Conference at the end of last month, where an attendee tested positive for the disease.

'Well, I just simply don't know what the White House physician has recommended in terms of the president, but I promise we'll get that information,' Pence said in the briefing room.

'We'll let you know tonight,' he added.

'Obviously the White House physicians, their directive is to see of the health and the well being of the president of the United States and we'll get you a very direct answer on that,' Pence said.

As far as his own health goes, he added, 'I've had no recommendation that I be tested.'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she thought President Trump should be tested.

'I thought he should be tested for a long time now,' she told CNN Monday night on Capitol Hill.

Gaetz learned after Air Force One left Orlando that he had been in touch with an infected person at CPAC, two sources told The New York Times. He then essentially quarantined himself, sitting in a section of the plane alone, the paper reported.

He had spent the weekend in Florida with President Trump and several members of the first family and traveled back from the state on Air Force One with the president.

'Congressman Gaetz was informed today that he came into contact with a CPAC attendee 11 days ago who tested positive for COVID-19,' his office said in a statement.

'While the Congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon. Under doctor's usual precautionary recommendations, he'll remain self-quarantined until the 14-day period expires this week.'

Gaetz traveled on Air Force One with President Trump on Monday when the president returned from Florida.

He was spotted getting off the back of the plane, where he was met by an Air Force official and escorted to a waiting car. He was seen getting on the plane in Orlando, where he walked up the front stairs of Air Force One after the president.

The congressman told The Washington Post he was put into a 'closed up room' on Air Force One after he found out he might have been exposed to coronavirus.

After landing, Trump 'coaxed' him up front before leaving.

'He was not hyper cautious about being in the same space that I was in,' Gaetz told the newspaper.

'I refused to go into his office, I stood outside the door. I told him he could talk from that distance,' he said.