PROVIDENCE (AP) — Rhode Island's largest hospital group announced Monday it is suspending most visits in response to a rising number of coronavirus cases in the state.

“We have decided after great deliberation to take this step in these highly unusual circumstances to protect our patients and our workforce," Dr. Timothy Babineau, Lifespan president and CEO, said in a statement on the company's website.

“We understand this is a great hardship to both patients and families, but we know that older and sicker people are most vulnerable to this novel coronavirus, and after careful evaluation of the evolving risks of transmission, we felt it was the most prudent thing to do," the statement read.

Exceptions may be made in special circumstances, the statement said.

Hasbro Children’s Hospital will allow one parent for each patient. Newport Hospital maternity services will allow for a birthing partner only. Emergency department patients will be limited to one accompanying adult, and the length of that person's stay will be limited.

Visitors will be screened for symptoms or potential exposure to the coronavirus, and will be required to wear a mask.

Lifespan operates Rhode Island, Hasbro Children’s, Miriam, Bradley and Newport hospitals.

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VIRUS CASES

The latest average positivity rate in Rhode Island is 3.3%. State health departments are calculating positivity rate differently across the country, but for Rhode Island the AP calculates the rate by dividing new cases by test encounters using data from the COVID Tracking Project.

Rhode Island health officials reported nine new deaths and more than 1,000 new cases of the virus on Monday.

Officials also said about 170 people are currently hospitalized because of COVID-19. The state Department of Health data covers cases reported since its last update on Friday.

More than 1,200 people have died and more than 34,000 have tested positive for the virus in the state since the pandemic started.

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URI FOOTBALL ON HOLD

The University of Rhode Island announced Monday that it has halted all football activities for two weeks following two positive coronavirus test results within the program.

The positives, one for a student-athlete and the other for a staff member, were reported Saturday, and all team activities were immediately halted, URI said in a statement.

Following contact tracing by the Rhode Island Department of Health, it was determined that all football student-athletes and select staff members should quarantine for two weeks.

The Football Championship Subdivision team has not played a game this fall.

The university’s overall positivity rate remains lower than 1%.