Rhode Island’s COVID-19 hospitalization numbers tumble

A bed for coronavirus patients at the COVID field hospital built by the State of RI at a former bank office building in Cranston. Photo by Steve Klamkin WPRO News

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — There are just 37 people in Rhode Island’s hospitals with confirmed cases of the coronavirus according to the latest data from the state Department of Health released Thursday, the lowest single-day total since the early days of the pandemic in March 2020.

Of those patients, five are in intensive care and on ventilators.

The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 peaked at more than 500 in December.

The state also reported about 40 new confirmed cases of the disease, a daily positivity rate of 0.7%, and no new virus-related deaths.

Nearly 585,000 people in the state have now been fully vaccinated against the disease, according to agency data.

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SHOTS AT THE BEACH

A trip to the beach in Rhode Island this weekend might also end being good for your health.

The state Department of Environmental Management and the state Department of Health are partnering to host a free COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Misquamicut State Beach in Westerly starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday, officials said in a statement.

The clinic — which will offer the one shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine — is open to beach employees and visitors, and state residents as well as non-residents are eligible for a shot. People getting a shot must be 18 years old or older.

The vaccine is free, but normal parking fees will still apply, officials said.

 

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