2 Rhode Island courthouses close in response to virus

by The Associated Press
| March 31, 2020 11:07 AM

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Two courthouses in Rhode Island are being closed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the state's Chief Justice said Tuesday.

The Washington County courthouse in South Kingstown and the Newport County courthouse in Newport will close effective Wednesday, Chief Justice Paul Suttell said in a statement.

The closure is an effort to conserve resources and critical supplies to combat the coronavirus pandemic, according to Suttell's order.

Emergency and essential matters normally heard in the South Kingstown and Newport courts will now be heard in the Kent County courthouse in Warwick until further notice.

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EMERGENCY DECLARATION APPROVED

President Donald Trump has approved a coronavirus disaster declaration for Rhode Island.

The move announced Monday makes the state eligible for additional federal emergency aid.

Gov. Gina Raimondo issued a state of emergency for the state on March 9.

The state had more than 400 confirmed cases of COVID-19, as of Monday, according to the state Department of Health. Four deaths are blamed on the virus.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, or death. The vast majority of people recover.