With COVID-19 cases on the rise, virus hits No. Smithfield Town Hall

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NORTH SMITHFIELD – At least one employee at North Smithfield Town Hall has tested positive for COVID-19, leaving a department short-staffed as others in the building were tested, sources tell NRI NOW.

The news comes as cases of the virus continue to rise statewide, with 187 positive cases in town, according to the latest statistics from the Rhode Island Department of Health. The figure puts the town’s rate at 6 percent with 2,940 of North Smithfield’s 12,349 residents tested.

Nursing homes, meanwhile, appear to be less of an issue than they were when the pandemic first hit the region in spring. At Saint Antoine Residence, where a total of 65 to 69 cases have been found since March 1, no new cases have been found in the past two weeks, and the current active count is 0, according to RIDOH.

Town Administrator Gary Ezovski cited HIPAA guidelines regarding the privacy of health information when asked about cases of the virus among his staff.

“I will not respond to rumors about anyone’s health,” Ezovski said.

But multiple sources who asked to remain anonymous confirmed with NRI NOW that there had been at least one positive case, and that others in the individual’s department were not working this week.

According to one employee speaking on the condition of anonymity, the COVID positive employee left work early on Thursday, Oct. 8.

Attempts to reach the union representing Town Hall staff were unsuccessful.

With early voting now underway, Ezovski did offer assurance to residents that all areas of Town Hall continue to be managed as recommended by the RIDOH and ReopenRI parameters.

“Early voting is carried out in the new Town Council chamber, which is a separate area from the municipal offices,” Ezovski said.

Officials noted this week that the chamber is well-monitored, and only three voters are allowed in the building at a time.

NRI NOW will update this story if more information becomes available.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated from its original version, which incorrectly stated that the current active case count at Saint Antoine was between 20 and 24 cases. We apologize for the error.

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