Data Shows Steep Decline In RI's COVID-19 Cases, Hospitalizations

PROVIDENCE, RI — It's looking more and more like Rhode Island is past the worst of the latest COVID-19 surge. For the second week in a row, the state saw major improvements in weekly case numbers and hospitalizations.

According to the latest data from the Rhode Island Department of Health, new hospital admissions fell from 574 to 395 over the last week, a drop that no doubt helped the state's seriously stressed health care facilities.

Case numbers also saw a steep decline, dropping by more than 1,000 from 3,264 cases per 100,000 to 1,851 per 100,000 people. While these numbers are certainly heading in the right direction, they remain more than double those seen ahead of the surge in early December.

While the weekly percent positivity rate remains in the double digits, that indicator was also headed in the right direction over the past week. From last week to this week, the weekly percent positivity rate fell from 18.5 percent to 15.6 percent.

Gov. Dan McKee and state health officials are scheduled to hold a COVID-19 news conference Thursday at 2 p.m., to update the public on the latest pandemic measures in the state.

This article originally appeared on the Newport Patch