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Governor Gina M. Raimondo said Wednesday that two more Rhode Island residents have died and 77 more people have tested positive for the coronavirus as state health officials close in on efforts to double testing capacity.
In the month since the state recorded its first coronavirus case, 10 people have died and 566 people have tested positive for COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus. Sixty of those people are currently hospitalized.
The two most recent deaths were a person in their 50s and another in their 70s. Both had underlying medical conditions, said Dr. James McDonald, medical director for the state Health Department.
By Thursday, Gov. Raimondo said, the three new testing sites run the Rhode Island National Guard — at the Community College of Rhode Island in Warwick, the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College — are expected to double the state’s current testing capacity to reach her goal of testing 1,000 people per day. The expanded capacity, the governor said, would allow the state to expand testing beyond hospitalized patients, health care workers and other “critical infrastructure workers” such as police and firefighters. Raimondo said, “The message to primary care providers is: start sending us your patients.” Testing is by appointment only; people seeking to be tested should call their primary care providers or their local urgent care clinic.
State health officials have said that the expanded testing will enable them to identify hot-spots of infection and quickly identify others who may be infected so they can isolate themselves to protect against spreading the infection.
As state officials continue efforts to contain the spread of the virus, Raimondo said, she is working to provide relief to small businesses hurting from the shutdown. The governor announced a new $2 million short-term “bridge” loan program for businesses with 10 or fewer employees who are awaiting loans from the Small Business Administration. The funding is being provided by the state Commerce Department and Bank of Newport, she said. For more information about the program businesses can call the local SBA office or 521-HELP.
