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Gross Cockroach Infestation Closes Down Santa Monica Hospital Cafeteria

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Santa Monica's St. John's Health Center has treated the likes of Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Taylor, but now the esteemed hospital is forced to shut down its cafeteria while it deals with some new visitors: cockroaches.

L.A. County health inspectors found at least 10 live cockroaches in the hospital's cafeteria kitchen this week, according to the L.A. Times. The cafeteria is located on the second floor of the hospital, which is in the 2100 block of Santa Monica Boulevard. While patients' meals won't be affected by this closure because those meals are prepared in a different area of the hospital, this is leaving some visitors feeling a little disgusted. "That's a bad thing," visitor Catherine Wright told CBS Los Angeles. "It should have been seen."

Hospital officials say they plan on reopening the cafeteria on Saturday.

Providence Health & Services, the company that owns the hospital, blamed the extra long hot weather for bringing in bugs. "Providence Saint John's apologizes for the inconvenience to our visitors, physicians and staff and, while it's difficult to control these natural occurrences, pledges continued diligence in ensuring cleanliness and safety," the company said in a statement, according to the Times.

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