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The U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health said Sunday night that it has received confirmation of eleven new confirmed cases of the coronavirus, the deadly pathogen that causes the Covid-19 disease. This brings the territory’s total confirmed cases to seventeen—nine in the St. Croix district and eight in the St. Thomas/St. John district, the Dept. of Health has announced.
One of the latest St. Croix confirmed cases was a Limetree Bay contractor who has not recently traveled outside of St. Croix and has been quarantined, the department said. This marks the first case of “community transmission” of COVID-19 on St. Croix. D.O.H. said epidemiologists have conducted contact tracing as a part of their routine investigation process with the support of Limetree Bay Staff. All contacts of the Limetree Bay case, inside Limetree Bay, are also being quarantined, D.O.H. said.
This confirms that there is person-to-person spread in both districts and underscores the importance of social distancing.
Work stoppage at the refinery was not announced.
On community spread, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says, “Community spread means people have been infected with the virus in an area, including some who are not sure how or where they became infected.” Social distancing, according to the CDC, is "remaining out of congregate settings, avoiding mass gatherings, and maintaining distance (approximately 6 feet) from others when possible."
Persons Under Investigation Update
Positive: 17 (9 STX; 8 STT)
STX: 8 travel-related; 1 community transmission
STT: 5 travel-related; 3 community transmission
Negative: 55 (18 STX; 35 STT; 2 STJ)
Pending: 2 (1 STX; 1 STT)
