Health Department reported slight increase in COVID-19 cases in U.S. Virgin Islands

The Virgin Islands Health Department reported a slight increase in active COVID-19 cases during the Government House briefing on July 18, 2022, according to Territorial Epidemiologist Dr. Esther Ellis.

Dr. Ellis said the BA.4 and BA.5 variants had been detected in the territory. She said those variants were more resistant to the current vaccine and that a new vaccine formulation projected for the fall was expected to be more effective against them.

As of July 18, the department reported a seven-day positivity rate of 12.4% and 208 active cases: 138 on St. Croix, 55 on St. Thomas and 20 on St. John. The territory had recorded 120 deaths.

Dr. Ellis said two COVID-19 patients were hospitalized at Juan F. Luis Hospital on St. Croix and four were hospitalized at Schneider Regional Medical Center on St. Thomas.

She also said schedules for free vaccinations and testing had changed effective July 1.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/health-department-tracking-slight-increase-in-covid-19-cases/