This is the City in Rhode Island Where COVID-19 is Growing the Fastest

The U.S. has reported more than 35.6 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as of August 10. There have been more than 612,000 reported deaths from COVID-19-related causes — the highest death toll of any country.

The extent of the spread of the novel coronavirus continues to vary considerably from state to state, and from city to city. Even as the number of daily new cases is flattening or even declining in some parts of the country, it is surging at a growing rate in others.

Nationwide, the number of new cases is growing at an increasing rate. There were an average of 32.4 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 Americans in the week ending August 10, an increase from the week prior, when there were an average of 27.0 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.

In Rhode Island, there were an average of 19.1 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending August 10 — the 23rd fewest of all 50 states. Rhode Island’s most recent case growth is an increase from the week prior, when there were an average of 10.3 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Metropolitan areas with a high degree of mobility and a large population may be particularly vulnerable to outbreaks. While science and medical professionals are still studying how exactly the virus spreads, experts agree that outbreaks are more likely to occur in group settings where large numbers of people routinely have close contact with one another. Cities with high concentrations of dense spaces such as colleges, correctional facilities, and nursing homes are particularly at risk.

In the Providence-Warwick, RI-MA metropolitan area, there were an average of 14.2 daily new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents in the week ending August 10 — the fastest case growth of any city in Rhode Island. The metro area’s most recent case growth rate is an increase from the week prior, when there were an average of 7.8 daily new cases per 100,000 residents.

Providence-Warwick is the only metropolitan area in Rhode Island and ranks as the city where COVID-19 is growing by default.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the Providence-Warwick metropolitan area has reported a cumulative total of 211,469 confirmed cases, or 13,067.6 per 100,000 residents. By comparison, there are currently 14,709.3 cases per 100,000 Rhode Island residents and 10,863.4 cases per 100,000 Americans nationwide.

In order to slow the spread, cities have ordered the closure of thousands of consumer-facing businesses. These measures have led to widespread job loss and record unemployment. In Providence-Warwick, unemployment peaked at 18.5% in April 2020. As of May 2021, the unemployment rate was 5.9%.

To determine the metropolitan area in each state where COVID-19 is growing the fastest, 24/7 Wall St. compiled and reviewed data from state and local health departments. We ranked metropolitan areas according to the average number of new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents in the seven days ending August 10. Data was aggregated from the county level to the metropolitan area level using boundary definitions from the U.S. Census Bureau. Population data used to adjust case and death totals came from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey and are five-year estimates. Unemployment data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is seasonally adjusted.

These are all the counties in Rhode Island where COVID-19 is slowing (and where it’s still getting worse).