Government House outlines Frederiksted projects and reports St. Croix COVID-19 surge

Government House said during its weekly press briefing on October 18, 2021, that several public works and facility projects were underway in Frederiksted, including resumed reconstruction of Paul E. Joseph Stadium, road and street repairs, repairs and improvements to the Vincent Mason pool, lighting improvements on Prince Street, upgrades at Midre Cummings Park, and improvements to the Ann E. Abramson Marine Facility cruise ship pier.

Communications Director Richard Motta Jr. said construction on Paul E. Joseph Stadium resumed during the week of October 18, 2021. He also said a groundbreaking ceremony for the Vincent F. Mason Sr. Coral Resort & Pool was scheduled for October 19, 2021, at 10 a.m.

Motta asked Frederiksted residents to remove vehicles from paving areas to assist road crews as work moved through town.

At the same briefing, Government House said COVID-19 cases were continuing to surge on St. Croix, primarily through community spread.

The Virgin Islands Department of Human Services issued Summer Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer benefits over the weekend of October 16-17, 2021, for eligible kindergarten through 12th-grade students enrolled in U.S. Virgin Islands public and private schools during the 2020-21 school year who participated in the National School Lunch Program. The one-time benefit was $438 per child.

Government House reported that as of October 16, 2021, the territory's seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate was 3.54%, with 179 active cases, including 149 on St. Croix, 29 on St. Thomas and one on St. John. It said 191,254 people had been tested, 7,074 had tested positive, 6,817 had recovered and 78 had died.

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

Government House also reported that 48,056 people in the eligible population were fully vaccinated, or 53.76%, and 54,950 had received at least one dose, or 61.47%.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/government-house-details-projects-and-initiatives-that-make-up-frederiksted-revitalization/