Veterans being tested for Covid-19 at the Barren Spot Mall on St. Croix in May. Photo Credit: ERNICE GILBERT FOR VI CONSORTIUM
Governor Albert Bryan will hold a press briefing today at 1:00 p.m. to update the territory on his administration's response to the coronavirus pandemic. On Wednesday night, the V.I. Dept. of Health announced 22 new cases territory-wide: 13 on St. Croix, 7 on St. Thomas and 2 on St. John.
The latest cases brought the territory's active infections to 57, a staggering number even as another 96 test results were pending.
On the U.S. mainland, where the continent continues to record daily highs — the latest being 59,000 cases in a single day — bars and restaurants are being ordered to close as governors in states such as Texas, California and Florida struggle to contain outbreaks.
The USVI is now experiencing its worst outbreak since the virus was deemed a pandemic. Even so, Mr. Bryan has yet to announce a decision on curtailment of the actions he's taken in the "Open Doors" phase of his administration's reopening plan, which opened the doors to leisure travelers, allowed hotels to accept reservations, and cleared all businesses to resume operations — including bars, nightclubs and restaurants.
"I think it would take people showing up at the hospital, showing that we have a surge for us to be identifying cases and where they are being identified coming from community spread. That would be the ticker," Mr. Bryan told the Consortium recently when asked what it would take to backtrack reopening plans.
The outbreak, which started on St. Croix last week, is now spreading to St. Thomas, and to a lesser extent St. John, with 7 and 2 new cases respectively.
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