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Coronavirus: 21 Employees At Hollywood Ralphs Test Positive, Workers Stage May Day Rally

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — Grocery workers, community members and union representatives staged a rally and caravan outside the Rock & Roll Ralphs in Hollywood Friday after 16 workers tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

RALPHS MAY DAY RALLY
Workers rally outside the Rock & Roll Ralphs in Hollywood after 16 workers test positive for COVID-19. (Credit: UFCW 770)

"Nearly 20 workers at the popular grocery store have reported a positive diagnosis, marking a grave distinction as the highest publicly reported rate of infection at a California grocery store," a Thursday release from UFCW Local 770 said.

According to the union, workers were calling on the grocery store to comply with city and county safety rules to protect frontline employees and customers from possible infection. The group was also calling for more aggressive action when a worker tests positive for COVID-19.

As of Friday afternoon, the Los Angeles County Health Department reported that 21 workers at the grocery store, 7257 W. Sunset Blvd., had tested positive.

RELATED: LA County Reports Another 62 Coronavirus Deaths Friday, Over 1,000 Cases

Ralphs said in a statement that it has taken extensive measures to safeguard associates, customers and supply chain.

"With regular visits from the Los Angeles County Health Department, we've affirmed that our processes continue to live up to our high safety standards in protecting our more than 20,000 associates and the millions of customers that visit our 188 stores each week," the statement said.

According to the statement, the employees have been self-quarantining since April 21. The company said the store was closed on April 15 and April 21 for a deep cleaning from a third party approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The company said it closed again on April 29 for sanitization as an added precaution.

"At Ralphs, our associates are like family," the statement said. "We are in communication with our associates that have tested positive to assist in their needs. Our thoughts are with them as they recover, and we wish them well."

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