VIDEO: RI Hospitals to Hit COVID Capacity in Weeks Says Raimondo, After Latest 900+ Case Day

VIDEO: RI Hospitals to Hit COVID Capacity in Weeks Says Raimondo, After Latest 900+ Case Day

Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo said Thursday that the capacity of the state's hospitals to absorb coronavirus cases will be exhausted in "weeks," with the Cranston field hospital expected to be operational shortly. 

On Thursday, the RI Department of Health reported 936 new cases on 19,841 tests on Wednesday, with seven new COVID-19 related deaths.

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Of those numbers, 50 were cases at colleges in the state. 

Higher education -- which conducts routine asymptomatic testing -- amounted to 7953 of the state's tests, meaning the actual state total of testing was 11,888 -- which then results in the state's real infection rate being nearly 7.5%.

SEE State's Public Data HERE

"This is very real. We are in a terrible spot," said Raimondo on Thursday. "For those folks who think it’s OK not to follow the rules, you need to know it’s costing lives."

Raimondo at her weekly press conference at the Veterans Auditorium in Providence welcomed healthcare professionals on stage, including Dr. Laura Forman of Kent Hospital, who will serve as the Cranston field hospital director.

"We get overwhelmed and we feel such sadness for our patients and their families — these are not just statistics," said Forman. "It’s a risk we’re taking everyday. This is what we love and what we do — this is taking a toll on us too."

"We will need the Cranston field hospital in a couple of weeks," said Raimondo, who said that hospitals are currently at 84% COVID capacity.

"I’m here one last time pleading with people of Rhode Island to make changes, to wear your mask always, to stop having social gatherings of any kind, period," said Raimondo. "I fear we're heading for another lockdown."