Rhode Island's Coronavirus Hospitalizations Reach New Peak

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island has seen several record-breaking days in terms of coronavirus hospitalizations over the past week, and currently has the highest number of people in the hospital with COVID-19 to date.

At the height of the pandemic's first wave in April, there were 377 people in the hospital with COVID-19 in Rhode Island. The state surpassed that number Nov. 22, and hospitalizations have only climbed since then. For the past two days, there were 461 people in the hospital, the highest number to date in the pandemic.

Weekly data has reflected this rise, with the number of new hospitalizations rising steadily since mid-October.

On Thursday, some of the state's top doctors at the Rhode Island Department of Health gave an update on the coronavirus vaccine, which could arrive in the state within days. Dr. Alysia Mihalakos, the department's chief Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, said the vaccine "could not have come at a better time," given the situation in the state, particularly the strained health care system.

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