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Governor Albert Bryan and Dept. of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion revealed Monday that the fourth coronavirus death in the territory was a 67-year-old woman from St. Croix who died at her home. She tested positive after her passing, the governor made known.
The Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency on Sunday morning announced the fourth death, but it wasn't until Mr. Bryan's Monday press briefing at 1 p.m. that the administration confirmed details such as gender, district and age.
Additionally, two healthcare workers have tested positive for the virus, the commissioner confirmed. Talk had been circulating throughout the community on Sunday that two nurses at the Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix had been infected. However, Ms. Encarnacion would not say which district the cases were confirmed in.
Relative to testing capacity, Ms. Encarnacion said D.O.H. as of Monday had 2,000 sampling kits available, and that the department has been receiving 380 kits on a weekly basis. "We're able to keep up with all of the requirements thus far," she said.
On the territory's ability to mass test, the commissioner said D.O.H. has been working with two entities, ProHealth, which has offered the department a space to do general testing, and Wall Greens, which has offered assistance as well. D.O.H. is still in search of two other locations, the commissioner said, adding that the department's goal is to work with private clinical labs to ensure testing through those entities.
"Until we get to that point, then we're unable to [perform] mass testing," the health commissioner said. "We want to make sure that we maintain the number of tests to be able to test the ones that are asymptotic, or those that have been in contact with those that have become positive."
So far, 780 persons have been tested territory-wide; there are 5 results pending; 716 have tested negative, 59 positive, 4 deaths, and according to health officials, 51 persons have recovered, which means the government is only tracking 4 active cases.
