Shocking Figure: 45% of Rhode Islanders with COVID-19 are Latino

By Olive Marie First Posted: Apr 18, 2020 12:16 PM EDT

Latino leaders recently shared they were alarmed after hearing the director of the state health say that around 45 percent of the Rhode Islanders who "tested positive for COVID-19" are Latino.

However, they questioned if the number was an overstatement or an understatement of the proportion of the Latinos who currently have COVID-19.

While it is clear that Latinos comprise 16 percent of the population of Rhode Island, the leaders claimed it's not clear what percentage of all those tested are Latino, a key to indicating the 45-percent number in context.

Radio host and medical director for community affairs at Care New England, Dr. Pablo Rodriguez said that at best, the reported figure would be "an over-sampling of low-level health workers and aides" who comprise most of the Latinas. At worst, the medical director added that it is an undervalued proportion.

Getting a More Granular Data

According to the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott, the state officials are currently working to acquire "more granular data" on how this pandemic is impacting the different ethnic and racial groups.

She added that their preliminary figures specify that approximately 45 percent of their confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state are among the "Latino Rhode Islanders."

Meaning, Alexander-Scott explained they are considerably over-represented in the group of individuals who have tested positive for the infectious disease.

She also added they are also calculating the percentage of all those tested who are Latinos, and that they are still thoroughly understanding the data.

Alexander-Scott also emphasizes how much they appreciate the advocates who have reached out to them to gather more information since this is what should be done.

She said there is a need to continue digging deeper. And As they are getting more granular data, there is one thing, according to Alexander-Scott, that is clear-that COVID-19 does not have any forecast or favoritism for individuals who are Latinos.

Meanwhile, Rodriguez said, that the 45-percent proportion could be an overstated figure if a higher fraction of those who went through the test are Latino.

Larger Percentage than Expected

Latino Policy Institute at Roger Williams University Executive Director, Marcela Betancur, admitted that said she got shaken upon hearing the 45-percent figure, considering that 16 percent of Rhode Island is Latino. She elaborated that the reported number is "a larger percentage" than she expected after only four to five weeks.

However, the executive director added that the said percentage might devalue the effect since some Latinos don't have health insurance, "or are undocumented" and may know nothing about getting tested for COVID-19 for free.

He also noted that cities that have considerable populations of Latinos have some of the most significant numbers of COVID-19 positives in the state.

Specifically, Providence has the most number of confirmed COVID-19 cases with 1,093 names on the list. Pawtucket is ranked second with the highest number of cases, recording 380 infected individuals. And the third city with a high number of confirmed cases is the one-square-mile Central Falls, with 129 cases.

Betancur, a resident of Central Falls, shared that her father was also getting the test and that the number of cases in their locality is quite a lot, considering they have a small city.

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