PROVIDENCE – Cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island increased by 416 on Wednesday, with 15 more deaths, the R.I. Department of Health said Thursday.
R.I. Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said the state’s COVID-19 response was “trending in the right direction,” and she sees encouraging signs, as the state eases business restrictions and ramps up distribution of the vaccine, opening two state run venues. Alexander-Scott spoke during her COVID-19 briefing session Thursday at Veterans Memorial Auditorium.
Due to the positive trend, she said that the state is set to ease social gathering limits from one household to two households indoors and three households outdoors starting Friday.
Alexander-Scott also said that a total of 7,000 doses of the vaccine will be distributed to the state’s cities and towns next week to begin vaccinating seniors 75 and older.
She noted that the state will open two vaccination sites next Thursday to accommodate seniors 75 and older. One will be at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, which is being converted from a testing site, and the other will be the Sockanosset Cross Road site in Cranston.
“The goal with our state-run vaccination site is volume,” she said. “We will have the capacity to vaccinate hundreds of individuals per hour through those sites. We will be doing roughly 500 doses per day at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center to start, and roughly 900 doses at Sockanosset to start. As more vaccine becomes available we will expand capacity, and we will open eligibility to additional groups, beyond people 75 and older.”
Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the state totaled 238, level with one day prior. Of those hospitalized, 45 were in an intensive care unit, an increase of three day to day, and 22 were on a ventilator, the same as one day prior.
Cases in the state have totaled 120,381 to date, an increase of 488 from figures reported Wednesday, accounting for both the day-to-day increase, as well as data revisions for previous days.
Deaths due to the virus in Rhode Island have totaled 2,274 to date.
There were 20,094 tests processed Wednesday, with an overall positive rate of 2.1%. When excluding both repeat positive and repeat negative test results, the positive rate was 18%.
“The positivity rate in every city and town decreased over the last week. This continues to be very encouraging,” said Alexander-Scott. “It’s exactly the direction we want to continue to go.”
There have been 2.71 million tests administered in the state to date to 764,688 individuals.
There have also been 93,489 first doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in the state to date, as well as 40,355 second doses.
Alexander-Scott stressed that even though there were encouraging signs with the positivity rate, Rhode Islanders should remain vigilant in protecting themselves, especially since new variants are being discovered. She noted that while none have yet been detected in Rhode Island they could already be within the state’s borders.
Alexander-Scott urged people to continue to wear a quality face mask for protection from the virus. She said masks should be fitted to the face with “no gaps.” She also said that people can acquire a KN95 face mask when being tested at a state site beginning next week.
R.I. Secretary of Commerce Stefan Pryor spoke at the press conference as well and said that there would be an easing of restrictions on businesses and houses of worship from 25% of capacity to 40% of capacity with a cap of 125 people. He also said there will be a new rule in restaurants that require a 90 minute time limit.
Pryor said that gatherings will be increased from one household to two households when congregating indoors, and three households outdoors.
Alexander-Scott called the easing of restrictions “tough decisions,” as the state tries to “balance public health and economic health.”
Cassius Shuman is a PBN staff writer. You may reach him at Shuman@PBN.com.
This story has been updated to include information from the R.I. Department of Health’s press conference Thursday.