RI Leaders Say Protest-Related Coronavirus Spike Possible

PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island could see a spike in cases of coronavirus in the coming weeks due to the second phase of reopening or the number of large gatherings in the state over the past days, state leaders said Tuesday. This comes as the state continues to see a downward trend in cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19.

The Rhode Island Department of Health announced 101 new cases of the virus and 12 deaths Tuesday, along with 188 hospitalizations. Of these, 48 patients are in intensive care units, and 31 are on ventilators. According to health department Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, four victims were in their 70s, two in their 80s and six in their 90s.

The number trends continue to be encouraging, Gov. Gina Raimondo said. Over the past few days, the state has seen a positive rate of 5 percent, she said, half of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's 10 percent benchmark.

"We are still fighting a global public health pandemic," the governor continued. "We are still living with the virus. We are still focused on doing everything we can do to keep you safe from the virus. It's important for you to hear that. We're not letting up at all."

Monday marked the first day of Rhode Island's second phase of reopening, which lifted many of the closures and restrictions implemented at the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak. The first day went well, said Raimondo, who reminded residents that it's more important than ever to follow safety guidelines such as wearing a face covering, practicing social distancing and avoiding large groups.

As was the case in phase one, it will take about two weeks before potential a spike in cases due to reopening can be identified, officials said. Monday's reopening coincided with a night of violence in downtown Providence, when hundreds of people filled the streets, with some breaking windows, looting stores and lighting fires. Because both situations are so close together, it will be hard to determine the exact cause if a spike does occur, Alexander-Scott said.

"It will be challenging to tell if we were to have an increase in the cases if it was just because of the protests, or if it is because of the reopening," she said.

Raimondo said the state is looking into ways to make peaceful protests, such as the one at the State House over the weekend, safer for attendees.

"We are looking at what we can do to make the appropriate protests safer," the governor said, such as masks, testing and reminders to practice social distancing. "If you want to attend a peaceful protest, wear your mask, don't go if you are sick, turn on your location monitoring and keep your contact notebook."

Patch editor Scott Souza contributed to this report.