RI’s Coronavirus Cases and Hospitalizations Are Spiking
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
New data released Tuesday by the Rhode Island Department of Health show both the number of new coronavirus cases beginning to spike and that hospitalizations have increased by more than 40% over the low in the past 30 days.
The number of new cases reported for Monday was 131, while the state recorded just 5,839 tests.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTTesting has been inconsistent, with some days over 9,000 tests, and last Sunday under 2,500 conducted.
Hospitalizations in Focus
Most worrisome is the significant spike in hospitalizations — now up to 103.
“We have a higher number of new cases in relationship with the limited number of new tests,” said Dr. Michael Fine, the former Rhode Island Director of Health, on GoLocal LIVE.
Fine warns that the hospitalization numbers are especially concerning.
“Hospitalizations are the final common denominator and tell us how much disease there is. The rate of rise of those hospitalized, where those people are coming from — that tells you where the disease is coming from," said Fine.
“The rate of rise over the last 24 hours is basically up 24% -- if it is sustained, it is troublesome,” he added.
Fine said the state does have significant hospital capacity.
National Alert
On Friday, the national tracking site Covid ActNow has upgraded Rhode Island’s risk level to “At Risk of Outbreak.”
Rhode Island was one of 23 states to hit this level of designation.
Covid Act Now stated, “Rhode Island is at risk of an outbreak. COVID cases are either increasing at a rate likely to overwhelm hospitals and/or the state’s COVID preparedness is below international standards.”
Four other New England states ranked below Rhode Island for the rate of spread of disease. They are ranked as having “spreading in a slow and controlled fashion.”
Vermont has the lowest ranking — it is the only state in the U.S. ranked as “on track to contain COVID."
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