COVID-19 Updated Published December 21, 2020 4:30 PM An employee scans items behind a protective shield at a grocery store in in Little Tokyo. (Chava Sanchez/ LAist) L.A. County Public Health officials today reported more than 11,000 new cases of COVID-19, with hospitalizations soaring 500% in recent days. Among the places seeing spikes in people testing positive: grocery stores. An L.A. Times analysis of the county’s websitefound outbreaks reported in December at three Trader Joe’s locations, two Whole Foods Market stores, three Sprouts Farmers Market branches and several smaller grocery chains. Those getting sick are mostly essential workers who must report every day — underscoring the push by some cities to offer hazard or "hero pay" for grocery store employees. For people who are shopping, the high numbers beg the question: Just how safe is it to go shopping at the market?