PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The number of people in Rhode Island’s hospitals with COVID-19 has dropped to its lowest level in about eight months, according to state Department of Health data released Monday.

The 72 patients with the disease in the hospital was the fewest since mid-September.

The department also reported about 180 new confirmed cases, including about 150 in the past three days and 30 new cases added to previous daily totals. There was also one more virus-related death in the past three days, for a total of 2,705 fatalities.

The department does not update on weekends.

More than 534,000 people in the state have now been fully vaccinated, which is about 50% of the state’s population, although people who work or go to school in Rhode Island are also eligible for a shot, and the state opened up eligibility to visitors to the state earlier this month.

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MUSEUM REOPENS

The Lippitt House Museum in Providence, one of the best-preserved Victorian interiors in America, plans to reopen for tours early next month, officials said Monday.

The semi-private, staff-guided tours that resume June 4 will follow COVID-19 safety best practices. Advance reservations are required.

The tours take visitors through the elaborately decorated rooms in the context of the home’s residents and workers and the roles they played in industry, immigration, design, and civic engagement.

“The elaborate decor, spacious rooms, and the large windows of Lippitt House make it an attractive destination for people looking for a safe way for the entire family to explore one of New England’s cultural treasures,” museum Director Carrie Taylor said in a statement.

The house that dates to 1865 is a National Historic Landmark.