COVID-19 outbreak among workers at Ralphs in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES - It's known as the rock-and-roll Ralphs but the Hollywood grocery store is reeling after more than a dozen employees tested positive for COVID-19.

A employee protest was held outside the store on Sunset Boulevard Friday.

Ralphs parent company confirmed 16 of their 158 stores had employees test positive for COVID-19. The Grocery Workers' Union claims 19 tested positive and the company isn't doing enough to make sure more aren't infected.

In a statement to FOX 11, the Kroger company claims the store was closed early twice in April to be sanitized. Additionally, the company implemented ways to keep workers and customers safe including increased store sanitation processes and re-stocking, and cleaning high touch areas every 30 minutes, plus mandatory temperature and symptom checks for employees.

On Friday, Dr. Barbara Ferrer with the Los Angeles County Public Health Department said she was aware of the coronavirus outbreak at the Hollywood grocery store and added that the health department will need to wait until their team finishes the investigation in order to know what is actually happening there.

The store's customers say they noticed some of the familiar faces aren't working at the store right now and that was unsettling to them.