Health Department said COVID-19 cases in U.S. Virgin Islands were declining

The Virgin Islands Department of Health said on Feb. 14, 2022, that COVID-19 cases in the territory continued to decline following a surge driven by the Omicron variant.

Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis said during the Government House weekly briefing that the department expected the seven-day positivity rate, reported at 5.33% as of Feb. 12, to continue trending downward.

The department said it was tracking 250 active cases as of Feb. 12, including 141 on St. Croix, 99 on St. Thomas and 10 on St. John. It reported 322,351 tests administered, 15,182 positive cases, 14,825 recoveries and 106 fatalities.

Officials said two COVID-19 patients, including one on a ventilator, were hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix, and five patients, including two on ventilators, were hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.

The Health Department also said a $250 gift card program for children ages 5 to 17 began on Feb. 14 and was scheduled to run through March 18. Under the program, children residing in the U.S. Virgin Islands who received a second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine by March 18 would receive a $250 gift card. Children who received only a first dose by that date were not eligible.

The department said testing hours had shifted on Feb. 2 to 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. by appointment, while hours on St. John remained noon to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the Virgin Islands Port Authority gravel lot.

Officials also listed pop-up vaccination schedules on St. Croix, St. Thomas and St. John, and said pediatric vaccinations for children ages 5 to 11 were available by appointment on St. Thomas and St. Croix.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/department-of-health-reports-covid-19-cases-continue-to-decline/