Once the Quarantiner, Now the Quarantined -- RI Now Landlocked Due to Coronavirus Numbers
GoLocalProv News Team
Once the Quarantiner, Now the Quarantined -- RI Now Landlocked Due to Coronavirus Numbers
Now, other states don’t want Rhode Islanders.
This week, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut have all imposed new travel restrictions on people traveling from or returning from Rhode Island, telling those people to quarantine for 14 days.
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Massachusetts Starts Friday
Rhode Island was removed Tuesday from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's list of states at "lower risk" for COVID-19 transmission, meaning it is now the only neighboring state subject to Governor Charlie Baker's new travel order.
DPH said the decision was made "due to increases in both RI’s positive test rate and cases per 100,000."
Starting Friday, visitors arriving from Rhode Island to Massachusetts must fill out a form, quarantine for 14-days or produce a negative COVID-19 test. Exemptions apply for regular commuters.
Rhode Island Numbers
On Tuesday, Rhode Island confirmed 123 new coronavirus infections, the third-highest day in the past two months.
As GoLocal reported:
These are the highest days since May, when the state reported 179 cases on May 29.
The state reported its lowest number of infections — 18 — on June 28.
The jump spikes the three-day average of infections from 72 on Monday to 84 on Tuesday.
Weekly Update
Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo and health officials will be live at 1 PM on Wednesday for their weekly coronavirus update.