Nursing homes site of 3/4 of COVID deaths

PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island’s nursing homes have accounted for 76 percent of the coronavirus-related deaths statewide, Gov. Gina M. Raimondo said Tuesday.

And while that number is significantly higher than in Massachusetts and Connecticut - nursing home deaths account for about 62 percent of Massachusetts’ total coronavirus deaths, and in Connecticut it’s 57 percent - on a per capita basis, Rhode Island actually lost a lower percentage of its nursing home residents than its neighboring states, the governor said.

Responding to media inquiries asking why Rhode Island had a higher percentage of nursing home deaths compared to its two neighbors, Raimondo provided data during her daily briefing yesterday showing that in terms of fatalities per 100 beds, Rhode Island is at 5.9 percent, Massachusetts is at 8.8 percent, and Connecticut at 8.1 percent.

Therefore, looking at nursing homes losses on a per capita basis for every 100,000 people, Rhode Island has lost 64 people, Massachusetts 96 people, and Connecticut 107 people.

“With respect to nursing homes, although we are far from perfect and we have seen the vast majority of our deaths in nursing homes, we are doing as well, if not better, than, our neighboring states,” Raimondo said. “For me, as I look around at other states and cities, I take some heart in knowing that at least on a relative basis we’re doing better than our neighbors and clearly the action that we have taken absolutely saved lives.”

“I want to be crystal clear about this,” Raimondo said. “I’m offering this data because I’ve been asked to talk about what we are doing with nursing homes and how we’re doing compared to our neighbors. Sixty-four people is sixty-four people.

Every life lost is a tragedy.” “Seventy si[ percent of our deaths have been in nursing homes and we have lost hun dreds of people,” she added. “:e want to do better, but I can tell you with certainty that we are approaching this doing everything we know how to do and I’m so sure that the deaths would have been much more if we hadn’t done all that we have done.”

$t the start of Tuesday’s briefing, Raimondo reported 12 new coronavirus related deaths in Rhode Island and 101 new cases. There were also 188 patients hospitalized as of yesterday. Rhode Island now has a total of 15,112 cas es and its virus related death toll stands at 732. The latest deaths were four persons in their 70s, two in their 80s, and si[ in their 90s.

“The situation in nursing homes across the country as it relates to the &29ID pan demic is tragic. :e have all struggled to contain the virus and minimize its impact on nursing homes,” Raimondo said. “Learning from what we saw in :ashington State and New

Raimondo pointed out that Rhode Island was one of the first states in the country to offer testing to staff and resi dents at all of the state’s nurs ing homes and is continuing that testing on a regular basis.

“:e also implemented infection control protocols and we were one of the first state’s to put congregate set ting support teams staffed by the National *uard on the ground in nursing homes,” she said. “Every day we try to get better and it’s clear to me that we can continue to do more because the situation is still really difficult in nursing homes and we’re losing lives every single day. :e are fo cused on this as much as we are focused on anything.”

During her briefing, Rai mondo briefly addressed Monday night’s violence and destruction in Providence where 65 people were arrest ed for damaging, burning and looting stores, vandalizing police cruisers and throwing bricks at officers.

“I have endeavored to keep these press conferences exclusively focused on coronavirus, but I will simply say what happened last night in Providence was not a pro test,” she said. “Make no mistake about that. That was an attack on the people of Rhode Island who came here deliberately intending to be violent, cause harm, hurt peo ple and destroy our property at a time when we are already struggling. They went after our small businesses at a time when many of them are just barely getting back on their feet.”

“$s I’ve said so many times from this podium, I am asking you to be kind. The kindness of the people of Rhode Island is who we are. :e are a small and connected state where we look in on our neighbors. The level of pain is real, but the level of our hope, resilience and kindness is also real.”