U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS — In his last scheduled update on COVID-19 before the long Easter weekend, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. detailed efforts his Marine Task has been taking to track and remove vessels from the Territory’s waters.
Governor Bryan convened a task force early in the Administration’s response to the Coronavirus pandemic, and the task force has been monitoring vessels mooring in waters throughout the Territory. To date, the task force has registered 90 new vessels in the St. Thomas-St. John District and 12 in the St. Croix District, while 35 boats have left the Territory via cargo vessel and more will be leaving next week, he said.
All of the vessels are paying mooring fees and are being tracked by GPS.
“We understand the anxiety of the public, but I assure you that everything we have done in our response to this pandemic has been based on the facts and the science,” Governor Bryan said. “I want to make a point to underscore that none of the positive cases in the Territory have tracked back to persons entering our seaports.”
To date, 322 persons have been tested for COVID-19, with 242 of those cases testing negative, 45 testing positive and 35 cases pending. Of those who tested positive, 39 have recovered, one person died and the Virgin Islands Department of Health is tracking five active cases.
Additionally, two of the three patients hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas were to be discharged on Wednesday, leaving one Coronavirus patient hospitalized at Schneider and one hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix.
Governor Bryan also announced that all public school facilities will remain unused through the end of the current school year.
“In order to add some predictability to these very uncertain times, we have decided to close all campuses for the balance of the school year,” Governor Bryan said. “This does not mean that education will be discontinued for our students. All it means is that they will not be returning to physical campuses for the balance of this school year.”
Department of Education Commissioner Racquel Berry-Benjamin gave further details on the status of the 2019-2020 school year, announced the results of the technology survey for all students and what measures the department is taking to close the gap using computers and online learning.
The Governor also reminded residents that under the current state of emergency and the stay-at-home order, all peace officers are authorized to enforce his mandates and directives.
Before signing off and wishing all residents a Happy Easter, Governor Bryan reiterated that all churches and houses of worship remain under social and physical distancing mandates, which includes prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people.
Governor Bryan’s next COVID-19 update is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, April 15.
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