A second case of coronavirus (COVID-19) has been confirmed in the US Virgin Islands (USVI), the Department of Health (DOH) announced Monday evening, March 17, 2020. Photo: VINO/File

The current risk of transmission in the USVI remains low for most residents, the Department of Health said, but precautions should still be taken to avoid transmission within the community. Photo: Internet Source

The latest case involves a patient from the St Thomas-St John District, according to a health department statement released about 9:40 pm.

The first COVID-19 patient was confirmed last week on St Croix. 

Health officials released no additional information about the patients’ medical condition or how they might have contracted the fast-spreading, deadly virus.

To date 21 residents have been tested in recent weeks. Three people tested negative. Two are positive for COVID-19. DOH said it is awaiting results from testing of eight suspected cases, called “Persons Under Investigation”; nine more lab samples have been sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Albert Bryan Jr declared a State of Emergency in the Territory as part of the effort to mitigate the spread of the disease.

Carnival postponed, schools closed

He announced early in the day, Monday, at a press conference in St Thomas that all public schools, including Head Start programmes, will close for at least three weeks beginning Wednesday. 

Carnival VI on St Thomas, slated to begin in April, was postponed indefinitely by the central government, Mr Bryan also announced at the press conference. 

The governor announced a ban on gatherings of groups or individuals of more than 50 persons, following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He later told the Consortium that if residents were not adhering to the ban, a curfew would be put in place.

Health officials are urging residents experiencing flu like symptoms and have traveled to one of the five countries posted previously (China, Iran, South Korea, Europe or Japan) or more recently to the United Kingdom, Ireland or any of the following U.S. states ( New York, California, or Washington state) in the last 14 days, to self-quarantine and call (340) 712- 6299 or 340-776-1519.

The DOH said its Epidemiology Division continues to conduct testing for cases that meet the Person Under Investigation (PUI) criteria, conduct contact tracing and assist healthcare providers and the public with up-to-date education as to what to do to prevent additional cases.

The current risk of transmission in the USVI remains low for most residents, the Department of Health said, but precautions should still be taken to avoid transmission within the community.