COVID Relief Funds Soon Available for Essential Workers as Infections Remain Low

Although the COVID-19 infections have increased in the last week and another Virgin Islander perished from the coronavirus, the Health commissioner reported the positivity rate is under the target rate of three percent at 1.22 percent.

As of Monday, there are 23 cases of COVID, with 12 on St. Croix, 10 on St. Thomas, and St. John has one infection. A 77-year-old male on St. Croix has died in the last week. The Juan F. Luis hospital has two patients with the virus, with one on a ventilator. There are no hospitalizations at the Schneider Regional Medical Center.

Although there has been no evidence, so far, of the new variant – BA.2 – the CDC is testing VI samples, and “it is just a matter of time,” Justa Encarnacion, the DOH commissioner, said. So far, BA.2 doesn’t appear to be more serious than previous strains, nor is it more resistant to vaccines or those previously infected.

Encarnacion announced that 56,205 people have received second doses of the vaccine, and adults and children over the age of five should continue to take vaccines and boosters to protect the most vulnerable.