HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC and AP) — Rhode Island was added Tuesday back to the list of states whose residents are required to quarantine for 14 days when traveling to Connecticut, New York and New Jersey.
Arizona, Minnesota, Nevada and Wyoming were also added to the list.
Those three states add states to their travel advisory lists if new daily cases hit 10 per 100,000 residents over a seven-day average, or if a state has a 10% test positivity rate. Rhode Island had been added to the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut travel advisory list in August, but was taken off a week later.
Rhode Island was added because the total number of new cases is on the rise, which is a result of the state's aggressive virus testing, according to a statement from a spokesperson for the state Department of Health.
“Rhode Island is doing more testing than any other state in country,” Joseph Wendelken said. “We are the only state with a dedicated, centralized K-12 testing system, and we have a very high proportion of college students in Rhode Island, almost all of whom are being tested. Our aggressive testing strategy is key to our overall response as it allows us to quickly quarantine exposed individuals and prevent further transmission, but it does also result in comparatively higher incidence rates."