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The V.I. Dept. of Health on Friday reported 20 new cases of the coronavirus in the USVI: 14 on St. Croix, 5 in St. Thomas and 1 case on St. John, according to the department's latest infographic. On Thursday, 14 new cases were reported.
To date, 6,654 tests have been performed, with 5,790 returning negative and 283 positive. Six people have died from the virulent disease.
D.O.H. said 4 of the St. Croix cases were transmitted through close contact, while 10 were under investigation as of Friday evening. On St. Thomas, one case was transmitted through community spread, two by close contact, and two were under investigation.
The sole case on St. John was transmitted through community spread.
Governor Albert Bryan on Thursday did not implement new protocols aside from the ones that took effect last week: closure of bars, closure of beaches at 4:00 p.m. on weekends, closure of casino and other gambling houses, and a ban on selling alcoholic beverages after 11:00 p.m. New travel restrictions were supposed to take effect on July 15, but the governor said some difficulties were encountered and that steps to strengthen enforcement were underway.
Mr. Bryan has argued that while the territory was experiencing a surge in chases, the surge was mostly attributed to the Limetree Bay facility on St. Croix. However, with St. Thomas cases increasing steadily, it remains to be seen whether the governor will announce more stringent rules in his bid to blunt the virus's spread.
