PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Ten Rhode Island businesses have been cited for failing to comply with the state’s virus safety regulations in the last two weeks, the state Department of Health said Thursday.
The agency said eight of the establishments cited by the state’s COVID-19 Enforcement Task Force were food businesses and two were barbershops.
State inspectors observed staff and patrons not wearing masks, and staff and patrons not practicing social distancing, according to the health department.
Some restaurants were also serving customers drinks at a bar without a physical barrier and not maintaining an employee work log for contact tracing, the agency said.
The six businesses issued a compliance order can remain open but will be re-inspected in ten days, the health department said.
The four that received an immediate compliance order were closed immediately because the violations represent an “imminent threat to public health,” the agency said.
Coronavirus compliance orders are posted online by the state Department of Business Regulation.
State health officials also reported one new death and nearly 100 additional cases of the virus on Thursday.
That brings Rhode Island’s death toll to more than 1,000 and its total positive COVID-19 cases to more than 20,000 since the pandemic started.
Health officials also reported Thursday that 80 people are currently hospitalized with the virus.
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