BELOW SUPERNAV drop zone ⇩

Authorities target ‘superspreader’ parties as virus cases rise in California

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

MAIN AREA TOP drop zone ⇩

ovp test

mLife Diagnostics LLC: Oral Fluid Drug Testing

Male shot by female at Shreveport apartment

Class to create biodiverse backyard

Rules for outbursts at Caddo School Board Meeting

LOS ANGELES (NewsNation Now) — A number of police agencies have been vocal about non-enforcement of regulations when it comes to businesses and general mask-wearing, but large, underground parties are quite another matter.

They are superspreader events, according to the LA County Sheriff’s office, and one such party led to more than 150 arrests.

“Even without the health order, these actions were criminal in nature,” said Sheriff Alex Villanueva.

His department broke up that criminal activity late Saturday night.

It ended with 158 arrests and also the rescue of a 17-year-old girl, a suspected victim of sex trafficking.

In addition, deputies recovered six firearms.

The underground party had been tracked through social media leading law enforcement to a rental home in Palmdale, north of Los Angeles.

“That event would have had 500 people had we not broken it up,” he said. “And imagine 500 people all in close proximity indoor and then they fan out once the party is over. That’s how these become superspreader events.”

Large gatherings of young people have been a persistent problem in righting the spread of COVID-19.

The latest coronavirus headlines.

In August, two TikTok stars were charged after allegedly hosting a number of parties, one at a rented mansion in Hollywood Hills. 

The Sheriff suspects there are about half a dozen underground parties every weekend and he believes a factor is the ban on outdoor dining. 

Like other departments, LA County is refraining from cracking down on struggling businesses. 

“I don’t think we should be in that position because all we’re doing is forcing things indoors, underground and that is going to create, going to drive the spread greater than the actual permanent activity previously is outdoor dining,” he said.

On that front, the California Restaurant Association won a small battle in court Tuesday morning.

A judge ruled that county health officials acted arbitrarily in enacting the ban.

However, he is allowing the county time to provide concrete proof that health benefits outweigh the economic impact on businesses.

West

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed

Site Settings Survey

 

MAIN AREA MIDDLE drop zone ⇩

Trending on NewsNation

MAIN AREA BOTTOM drop zone ⇩

tt

KC Chiefs parade shooting: 1 dead, 21 shot including 9 kids | Morning in America

Witness of Chiefs parade shooting describes suspect | Banfield

Kansas City Chiefs parade shooting: Mom of 2 dead, over 20 shot | Banfield

WWE star Ashley Massaro 'threatened' by board to keep quiet about alleged rape: Friend | Banfield

Friend of WWE star: Ashley Massaro 'spent hours' sobbing after alleged rape | Banfield

Fair

la

59°F Fair Feels like 59°
Wind
5 mph N
Humidity
35%
Sunrise
Sunset

Tonight

A clear sky. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.
51°F A clear sky. Low 51F. Winds light and variable.
Wind
4 mph N
Precip
0%
Sunset
Moon Phase
Waxing Gibbous