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After Large Party In Rio Linda, County Public Health Says They Need Help Stopping 'Super-Spreader Events'

RIO LINDA (CBS13) — Sacramento County officials are pointing to a weekend party in Rio Linda as the latest source of a coronavirus "super-spreader" event.

More than 400 people were seen partying Saturday night, spilling into the street. The county says the party at a Rio Linda compound came at the worst time as county cases surge. Officials say they can't hold people responsible for hosting these parties without help from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.

READ ALSO: Deputies Won't Enforce Month-Long California Curfew, Sacramento Sheriff Says

The party included hundreds of people dancing almost on top of each other and live music blasting on a gated property off Elkhorn Boulevard in Rio Linda. The crowds and cars can be seen in the street in a video of the party.

Neighbors say this property has hosted parties every few weeks since the pandemic started.

One neighbor said, "They've had them before, but that's okay as long as they don't bother us, we don't bother them."

Another neighbor, Larry, said, "It's not good, but I don't know if that is ever going to change."

The sheriff's office received 14 noise complaints Saturday night, but say the party broke up when they arrived at 11 p.m., an hour past the new curfew.

CBS13 spoke to one woman who says she lives at the home.

She said, "People want to talk about the COVID, well guess what? Newsom didn't do the COVID, so we didn't for an hour, so what? It's done."

Others at the house had little to say about the large crowd there Saturday night. Meanwhile, the Sacramento County Heath Department had a lot to say.

"It's guaranteed to be a super-spreader. They were not wearing masks, they were not socially-distanced, they were piled on top of each other," said Sacramento County Health Services Director, Dr. Peter Beilenson.

The impact of this party on the coronavirus numbers in the county will be measured over the next few weeks.

Dr. Beilenson says calls it impossible to enforce the curfew or hold those who hosted the party responsible without help from the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office.

"This is really tailor-made for the sheriff's department and it's unfortunate that they're not participating," he said.

The sheriff's office says it's not appropriate for armed police officers to enforce health guidelines. But, the county says they don't have enough resources, with only have about 20 public health officials to track the entire county.

"There's nowhere near enough of them to police a 1.5 million person jurisdiction as to Sacramento County," Dr. Bielenson said.

Dr. Beilenson says he's looking into introducing legislation to the Board of Supervisors as soon as next week which would help the county enforce and put a stop to events like this.

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