RI COVID Cases Begin to Decline, Deaths Continue at Highest Pace in 11 Months

RI COVID Cases Begin to Decline, Deaths Continue at Highest Pace in 11 Months

Here is the good news — it is clear that the transmission rate and COVID cases are beginning to decline in Rhode Island.

But as we know, after nearly two years of battling the pandemic, hospitalizations lag cases — and deaths lag hospitalizations.

Thus, the bad news. January will be the deadliest COVID month in eleven months — the highest month since February of 2021 and on pace for approximately 180 COVID deaths for this month.

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In the past four months, deaths have jumped from 42 in October to 163 to date for the month of January. The percentage increase will be about 300% from October to January.

 

Fauci Projects National February Peak

Dr. Anthony Fauci said on Sunday that the number of Omicron cases in the U.S. is likely to peak soon and start to fall.

When Fauci was asked on ABC's "This Week" whether he was confident that cases would peak across the majority of states by mid-February, Fauci said he was "as confident as you can be."

"Things are looking good. We don't want to get overconfident, but they look like they're going in the right direction right now," he said.

Fauci, President Joe Biden's chief medical advisor, said Omicron infections in states across the Northeast and upper Midwest had peaked and "started to come down rather sharply."

But as GoLocal reported on Saturday, while Omicron spiked quickly both in South Africa and in the United Kingdom, the decline in cases does not seem to revert to the previous baseline level prior to the spike.

Rhode Island -- which finally surrendered the unfortunate title of the most infected state in the country after more than two weeks -- continues to be ranked second in the country behind only Wisconsin and remains the only Northeastern state ranked in the top 15 for highest infection rate, according to the New York Times.

Cases are still rising in some southern and western states.

 

Rhode Island's Latest Data

The transmission rate continues to fall in Rhode Island according to the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) — although testing has slowed as well. Cases dipped significantly over the weekend, but so did the testing. 

Rhode Island recorded only 1,034 new cases for Sunday on just 7,819 tests.

Hospitalizations have declined significantly. 

RIDOH reported adjusted numbers showing that on Thursday, January 13, the state hit 549 hospitalizations -- a pandemic record.

Hospitalizations dropped to 452 on Monday, according to RIDOH -- a 17% decline in the past ten days.