18 new cases of coronavirus in R.I.; child-care centers allowed to open under new restrictions

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PROVIDENCE -- Eighteen new cases of coronavirus have been detected in Rhode Island since Monday, bringing the state's total to 124, Gov. Gina Raimondo announced Tuesday.

Raimondo also announced that the state is partnering with the Massachusetts-based Care.com to help "frontline workers" in the fight against coronavirus access child care and elder care. The company has agreed to allow 90 days of premium access, and set up a special site at care.com/rineed.

Raimondo suggested that some Rhode Islanders who are out of work might be able to find job opportunities through the site, and that volunteer opportunities may also be found there.

Raimondo also said the Boys and Girls Club, the Greater Providence YMCA, Children's Workshop, Children's Friend, and Learning Brooke will begin offering on-site child care for children of essential hospital workers.

The state Department of Human Services will be working with hospitals to match the centers up with eligible employees' needs, and will communicate with the hospitals.

Raimondo also said the state will allow other child-care centers to remain open if they comply with new emergency regulations that have been promulgated by the Department of Human Services. She said these will be strictly enforced.

Turning her attention to the beginning of distance learning in the state's public schools, Raimondo said the first day of online classes went well.

Raimondo said the state's unemployment claims are "surpassing anything we have ever seen before."

The latest figures released by the Department of Labor and Training show that 45,669 Rhode Islanders have filed COVID-19- related unemployment insurance claims between March 9 and Monday.

Another 5,045 people have filed for virus-related temporary disability insurance.

She encouraged all Rhode Islanders who lose their jobs to file by phone or online, but asked people not to call to check on the status of their claims, because "we are truly overwhelmed by thousands of claims every day."

More to come.

##IFRAME_1##READ MORE: What you need to know about all things coronavirus related

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