PROVIDENCE – On the first day of Rhode Island’s phased reopening of its economy, the state health director on Saturday announced seven positive cases of COVID-19 in her department.
Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said the mini-outbreak began with a single case that led to additional testing of others and six more positive results. An environmental cleaning of the department’s main building is being done. Alexander-Scott noted the department’s response to the statewide health crisis has not been affected by the outbreak within the department.
Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said the state should expect to see more localized outbreaks, which have occurred with particularly deadly consequences at nursing homes and also among manufacturers and other businesses.
“We can’t stop that but we can make sure our [response] system is strong enough” to limit the spread where the virus is detected, she said.
Health officials earlier in the day reported 19 new deaths related to COVID-19 in Rhode Island and 210 more positive cases, raising the latter total to 10,989.
There have been 418 fatalities reported in the state due to the new coronavirus. Alexander-Scott said the 19 new deaths included people aged in their 60s to their 90s. She did not say during the daily briefing how many of those people lived in nursing homes, which have seen a majority of the deaths in the state related to the new coronavirus.
WPRI-TV CBS 12 reported that 17 of the 19 new deaths were nursing home residents. An R.I. Veterans Home resident was among those deaths, becoming the fourth resident of that facility to die with the virus.
A total of 292 people are hospitalized in Rhode Island with the virus, with 77 in intensive care units and 56 on respirators.
The governor reminded retailers participating in the first phase of the state’s reopening of the economy that they should complete and sign a checklist on state guidance found at reopeningri.com.
She noted some retailers can now begin in-person shopping, but must ensure customers and workers stay 6 feet apart and wear masks.
“I only want to reopen this economy once … not in fits and starts,” Raimondo said.
She said businesses with questions on the guidelines can get answers or share concerns at covidplan@reopeningri.com.
Raimondo also made announcements on state efforts to help Rhode Islanders struggling to pay bills. They included:
• A company called Summer that helps people with student loans to handle debts is doing so for free in Rhode Island. The company can be reached at meetsummer.org/covidrelief. Raimondo said there are now 130,000 Rhode Islanders with student-loan debt.
• The state Public Utilities Commission has extended until May 31 a moratorium on shutoffs of electricity, gas, water and sewer service.
(ADDS seventh paragraph with details on nursing home deaths.)
