Covid-19 cases continue to rise in the U.S. Virgin Islands, with the V.I. Dept. of Health reporting 28 positive infections Wednesday, leading to a territory-wide total of 188 cases.
St. Croix currently leads the territory with 111 active infections, followed by St. Thomas with 56 and St. John with 21. D.O.H. Commissioner Justa Encarnacion said Monday the department was seeing increasing infections in the hospitality industry, churches and government agencies.
Governor Albert Bryan on Monday referred to the current situation as a "mess," and pointed blame on Thanksgiving gatherings and a recent wedding where Virgin Islanders traveled to the U.S. mainland to attend, contracted the coronavirus and brought the pathogen to the territory — spreading the disease among family and friends.
"At least one wedding in Florida that we are tracking, there are already four individuals who have tested positive for Covid-19," Mr. Bryan said. "These are Virgin Islanders who have traveled abroad, contracted the virus, and have brought it back here to the Virgin Islands to their friends and family."
"I know you all want to party and get together, but you all need to be afraid of catching this virus because certainly the person that don't survive may be you, your loved one, your family, your friend," Mr. Bryan advised. "I'm appealing to you today, please, stop trying to make sense out of nonsense. Wear your mask and do the things that you need to do to keep you, your friends and your family safe."
The governor said his administration has been considering a nighttime curfew in an effort to curtail the surging cases of Covid-19 in the territory.
He also announced that beginning today at 5:00 p.m., nightclubs in the territory will be closed for the entire holiday season, and bars beginning Dec. 25 for two weeks — reopening January 8.
"This time there will be no excuses of serving food or what not. We cannot have a repeat of Thanksgiving for the next two weeks of Christmas," the territory's leader said. He said the administration in the past wanted to give people a sense of normalcy by resisting stricter controls. However, such thinking stood the chance of disguising the reality of Covid-19. "Now is not the time to be partying and having a good time in bars and nightclubs. We need to stay focused on the realization that this virus is rampant in our community and it is taking a toll on us all."
Additionally, Mr. Bryan reminded Virgin Islanders that there is currently an order in place that mandates universal mask-wearing in the territory. He said once you're out in public — not just inside a place of business — and cannot maintain a 6-feet distance from another individual, your mask needs to be on. The order simply means everyone should wear masks out in public, especially when moving because more than likely you will come into contact with other persons. Puerto Rico has as universal mask-wearing mandate and a Sunday curfew.
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