Outbreaks In Daycare Centers and School-Age Children Lead to Most Recent High Number of Active Covid Infections

D.O.H. Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis said Monday that health officials were seeing a high number of active cases among children and young adults on St. Croix. She said a majority of the cases last week were in the 0-17 age group.

She reported that the current median age of all positive cases in the USVI was 27.5 years as of Monday, and that contributing factors include outbreaks within daycare centers and school-age children, with outbreaks among the latter being attributed to household exposures.

Dr. Ellis encouraged parents to get their children vaccinated against Covid-19 if they are eligible. “It is especially important for children 12 and up as well as those that work with children to get vaccinated and keep our schools safe and our students safe,” she sad. Dr. Ellis also urged parents with children 11 and under to get vaccinated themselves, which she said would help keep children safe.

D.O.H. reported 190 active cases territory, with 139 on St. Croix, 46 on St. Thomas and 5 on St. John.

There were three Covid-19 hospitalized patients territory-wide, with one patient requiring a ventilator on St. Croix, while one of the two patients at the Schneider Regional Medical Center in St. Thomas was ventilated.