COVID-19 pandemic in Rhode Island
The COVID-19 pandemic began affecting the U.S. state of Rhode Island on March 1, 2020. As of December 17, 2021, there were 2,992 deaths from the COVID-19 respiratory virus. The cause of COVID-19 came through the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (the SARS-CoV-2 gene). COVID-19 first hit Rhode Island around Pawtucket.