'We're Not In A Good Place': RI On The Brink Of Virus Outbreak

PROVIDENCE, RI — One week after Gov. Gina Raimondo and Dr. Nicole Alexander Scott raised the alarm about a concerning rise in coronavirus cases, hospitalizations and the percent positive rate in Rhode Island, the numbers haven't shown improvement. It's imperative that all Rhode Islanders take steps now to prevent a widespread outbreak heading into the winter months, they said.

"The numbers aren't good, I won't sugarcoat it," the governor said at her weekly news conference. "The bottom line is, we’re not in a good place."

A second wave of the virus is not a foregone conclusion in Rhode Island, Raimondo said, and can be prevented if everyone recommits to social distancing measures and makes some sacrifice in the coming weeks and months. This means taking steps including canceling Halloween parties, avoiding travel at Thanksgiving and wearing masks whenever with someone outside the immediate household, even close family and friends.

"This is about protecting those that we know and love," said Alexander-Scott, the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health. "It's the ultimate way to show you love them."

Over the past week, the average percent positive rate in the state was 2 percent, up from 1.7 percent the week before. New hospitalizations declined slightly week-over-week, though Raimondo cautioned that the double-digit daily increases are still a concern.

Most alarming is the continued rise of cases per 100,000 people in the state, which at 149 is both up compared to last week and well above safe the threshold of 100 cases per 100,000 people. The most updated coronavirus data is available on the Department of Health's website.

Over the past week, the state saw 1,209 cases of coronavirus, 21 percent of whom were aged 19 to 24, Alexander-Scott said. This group continues to be disproportionately represented in case numbers, making up just 9 percent of the overall population. Along with small gatherings, workplaces are a continued source of transmission, especially communal office areas where masks and social distancing are often lacking. In addition, gatherings related to religious organizations were connected to 30 cases, Alexander-Scott said.

Another concerning statistic is the rise in the average number of people someone who tests positive has been in contact with, increasing 27.6 people compared to 22.9 the week before. This is a trend in the wrong direction, Alexander-Scott said, since she and other state leaders are asking Rhode Islanders to cut down on their contacts, keeping their social circle as small as possible.

Those who have been to a party or other social gathering and do test positive are often hesitant to share information about the location, number of attendees and whom they came in contact with, which makes contact tracing very difficult, the doctor continued. Without the ability to effective identify and quarantine all the close contacts of a person who tests positive, the virus can more easily spread in the community.

"You are contributing to serious health consequences for the people around you," Alexander-Scott said of these people, urging all Rhode Islanders to answer the phone and be forthcoming if they are contacted by someone from the Department of Health.