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As of Friday, two more Rhode Island residents have died of COVID-19, bringing the state’s total number of related fatalities to fourteen. One of the deaths occurred at a nursing home where a number of cases have been discovered.
The number of COVID-19 cases at Rhode Island nursing home facilities has continued to rise.
During the daily coronavirus press briefing on Friday, Department of Health director Nicole Alexander-Scott said there are currently 12 nursing homes in the state with at least one COVID-19 case.
“Nursing homes remain the most challenging settings right now,” the director said.
The most recent death at the Golden Crest Nursing Center in North Providence marks its 5th death since the beginning of the pandemic. So far, 65 cases have been identified at the facility.
Other nursing homes in Rhode Island with multiple COVID-19 cases include:
- Oak Hill Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing (Pawtucket): 60 cases, two deaths.
- Oakland Grove Health Center (Woonsocket): Six cases
The remaining nursing homes in the state have fewer than five cases.
Dr. Alexander-Scott said the DPH is taking “dozens of aggressive measures” to address the rise in coronavirus cases at nursing homes.
“Residents with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are being moved to private rooms,” Dr. Alexander-Scott said. Nursing homes with confirmed COVID-19 cases are being instructed to limit one staff member per resident to conduct activities usually done by many other people.
At the daily state briefing, Governor Gina Raimondo emphasized the importance of social distancing and isolation to prevent the spread of the disease.
Dr. Alexander-Scott is now asking residents to wear cloth face masks when out in public in order to protect each other from possible contamination.
The director has asked residents not to purchase or hoard masks like the N-95 masks that are needed by health care professionals.
