The number of active Covid-19 cases in the territory dropped to 13 as of Friday, according to numbers published that day by government’s Covid-19 dashboard.
Eleven of the cases were found on Tortola, and two were reported on Virgin Gorda. Eight of the cases were locally found, one was found through travel screening, two through entry screening on “day zero,” and two through entry screening on “day seven.”
One infected person was in the hospital undergoing treatment, government added.
The updated numbers came three days before the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered the coronavirus warnings for Caribbean islands including the Virgin Islands.
Prior to Monday’s changes, the VI was on the CDC’s “do not travel” list. The territory — which was previously categorised as a Level Four destination with a “very high” level of Covid-19 — is now in the Level Three category with just a “high” number of Covid-19 cases.
The CDC recommends that people avoid destinations under its Level Three category if they aren’t fully vaccinated.
Falling numbers
Numbers are falling elsewhere in the region as well. The USVI government re- ported 32 active cases of Covid-19 on Friday, while Puerto Rico had 1,195 new cases in the last week, according to the Johns Hopkins’ Coronavirus Resource Center.
Further abroad, however, case numbers are rising in parts of Europe and Asia, thanks in part to a new subvariant of the omicron variant, called BA.2.
Asked on Friday during a press conference when mask mandates and other restrictions may lift, Premier Andrew Fahie reiterated that the territory is not yet “out of the woods.”
He also said that Health and Social Development Minister Carvin Malone would soon pro- vide an update. Mr. Malone didn’t give an update as of press time, however.
Government on Monday reminded individuals and businesses that Covid-19 Stimulus Feedback Forms are due by April 14.
The forms should be completed by anyone who received grants from government’s Covid-19 economic stimulus, including businesses, daycares, pre-schools, private schools, churches, religious organisations, and farmers and fishers.
“The data collected will assist the government in assessing and evaluating how the Covid- 19 economic stimulus has impacted persons, businesses and the local economy during a critical time,” said Premier’s Office Permanent Secretary Dr. Carolyn O’Neal-Morton.
The form is available on es- ervices.gov.vg/feedback and can be submitted electronically on the site, or emailed to premieroffice@gov.vg.