R.I. COVID-19 cases increase by 425, Newport County elevated to ‘high’ risk

PROVIDENCE – The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday raised the COVID-19 threat level in Newport County to “high” while lowering the threat in the other four Rhode Island counties to “medium.” 

Bristol, Kent, Providence and Washington counties were lowered to “medium” risk of COVID-19 after being at “high” risk last week. Threat levels are determined in part by case rates and hospital admissions per 100,000 people.

Confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Rhode Island increased by 425, with eight deaths, the R.I. Department of Health said Friday.     

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients total 81, down from 82 reported Thursday. Of those hospitalized, five are in an intensive care unit and less than five are on ventilators.  

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There have been 363.9 new cases per 100,000 persons in Rhode Island in the previous seven days.        

By comparison, there were 82 new cases identified on May 26, 2021. The transmission rate on May 26, 2021, was 46.9 cases per 100,000 persons. There were 80 COVID-19 patients hospitalized as of May 26, 2021, of whom 14 were in an ICU and eight were on ventilators. 

There have been 833,559 individuals fully vaccinated in the state and 2.2 million total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered.    

Confirmed cases in the state now total 391,275, an increase of 636 from figures reported Thursday, accounting for the day-to-day increases and data revisions for previous days.         

Deaths due to the virus in Rhode Island total 3,577.    

There were 3,577 tests processed Thursday, with 7.9 million tests administered since the start of the pandemic.