coronavirus

RI Gov. Raimondo Activates National Guard Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Raimondo said there are no plans to issue a shelter in place at this time

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Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said Friday she was activating the National Guard to help her state deal with coronavirus pandemic.

Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo said Friday she was activating her state's National Guard to help with the coronavirus response.

"We have been using the National Guard for weeks for drive-through testing but now it's time for more so I'm calling on full activation," Raimondo said while streaming her daily update to the media via Facebook live.

Raimondo then addressed the rumor of a state-wide lock-down, which was imposed Thursday in California.

"I do not intend to do that. It's not something that is in our current planning," she said.

Raimondo instead is encouraging residents to work from home, avoid crowds, to stay home if they are sick and to stay away from nursing homes.

There were 10 new cases in Rhode Island by Friday, bringing the total number to 54, according to Director of the Rhode Island Department of Health Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott.

Despite nearly a dozen new cases of the novel coronavirus in Rhode Island, Gov. Gina Raimondo on Thursday said she had no plans to issue a shelter-in-place order.

While the source of each case is being investigated, Alexander-Scott said each patient is recovering at home.

Alexander-Scott echoed Raimondo, saying residents should avoid crowds to flatten the curve of the virus.

"Please. It is critical at this time that you stay home if you can. You should only be going out for essential needs," Alexander-Scott said.

Health officials have so far reported 20 cases of the coronavirus in the state.

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