Health & Fitness
RI Coronavirus Positive Rate Down Despite High Case Count: DOH
The Department of Health said noted the state conducted 7,200 tests with a 1.8 percent positive rate to mitigate 130 new cases.
PROVIDENCE, RI — An unusually high number of coroavirus tests conducted across the state on Thursday was responsible for the higher number of positive results, according to the Rhode Island Department of Health.
RI Department of Health spokesman Joseph Wendelken noted on Thursday's results that, despite 130 new positive cases recorded, the state's positivity rate dropped to 1.8 percent. The state had averaged a bit less than 3.0 positivity over the previous seven days, according to its reporting guidelines.
There were two additional deaths on Thursday — bringing the total in the state to 1,030 since deaths began being attributed to the virus in March.
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There were 81 Rhode Islanders reported hospitalized as of Thursday.
Gov. Gina Raimondo said getting test availability, and results back within 48 hours, is a priority as the state nears a decision on Aug. 31 whether students can return to in-classroom learning in September.
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"This has been a struggle because in the whole country it's a fight for resources," Raimondo said during her Wednesday news conference.
Raimondo allowed that there was a backlog in testing earlier this month when neighboring states put RI on travel quarantine lists because of a surge in positive cases. That meant RI residents needed to get a test before traveling to Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.
RI has since been released from the restrictions in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, though it remains in effect in Massachusetts.
"We were overrun," Raimondo said. "It is definitely better now.
"I think I can safely say the worst is behind us," she added. "We are much better than where we were a month ago. And I think I can say in a month from now we will be and an even better place."
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