Rhode Island's Weekly Coronavirus Rate Exceeds 5 Percent

PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island Department of Health's latest weekly data update paints a grim picture for the coronavirus pandemic in the state. According to Tuesday's update, the state's weekly percent positive rate exceeded five percent, meaning all three key indicators are now above their safe thresholds.

In the past week, the average percent positive rate in the state was 5.9 percent, up a full two percent from the week before, when it was at 3.9 percent.

The other two key trends, new hospitalizations and cases per 100,000 people, continue to exceed their safe ranges of 210 and 100, respectively. Hospitalizations mostly held steady compared to the week before, while case numbers skyrocketed to 535 cases per 100,000 people.

Rhode Island remains in Phase Three of reopening, though Gov. Gina Raimondo put in several new restrictions in previous weeks to help clamp down on the spread of the virus in the state. Social gatherings are limited to 10 people or fewer, and a voluntary stay-at-home order is in place overnight. Restaurants and bars are asked to close their doors earlier, and capacity is limited in large gathering spaces such as houses of worship and big-box stores.

The largest source of spread continues to be small, unstructured gatherings, state officials have reiterated in recent weeks, and all Rhode Islanders are urged to avoid any unnecessary social interactions and wear a mask any time they are with someone not in their immediate household.

With Thanksgiving just over a week away, official guidance will be announced on Thursday, Raimondo said last week. Previously, she asked all Rhode Islanders to keep their gatherings "small and local," adding that a stay-at-home order just for the holiday is "likely."

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