PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Officials on Block Island have suspended all outdoor entertainment until the end of summer as Gov. Gina Raimondo as singled out the popular vacation destination as “not doing well” amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The Providence Journal reports the Block Island Town Council voted 3-1 Wednesday night to pull all outdoor entertainment licenses, over the objections of a number of residents and business owners.
The order takes effect immediately, but doesn’t impact weddings, according to The Block Island Times.
Raimondo earlier this week suggested island officials might have to take further action to control possible spread of the virus after photos of packed ferries to the island were widely shared on social media.
The island has had less than 10 reported cases of COVID-19, according to the Times.
Meanwhile, state health officials Friday reported two additional deaths and nearly 100 more cases of the virus.
The state has reported an average of 85 new COVID-19 cases over the past seven days, which is down from about 100 last week but up from roughly 60 a month ago, the Journal reports.
Rhode Island has had more than 1,000 deaths and more than 120,000 cases of the virus since the pandemic started.
The true number of cases is likely higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected and not feel sick.
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