Bryan reported third COVID-19 death in U.S. Virgin Islands and warned on beach restrictions

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said at an April 20, 2020, briefing in Christiansted that the U.S. Virgin Islands had recorded its third death related to COVID-19, a 77-year-old St. Croix man with underlying health issues who had recently traveled from Florida.

Bryan said 625 people had been tested for the coronavirus, with 554 negative results. He said 53 people had tested positive, 48 had recovered, two cases were being tracked and 18 test results were pending.

Bryan said all beaches in the territory had reopened, including those under National Park Service jurisdiction, except Cramer Park on St. Croix, which he said had been vandalized and could reopen as soon as April 22, 2020.

He said beach restaurants would be allowed to reopen, but alcohol sales would be restricted. He also said limits on gatherings of more than 10 people and other social-distancing rules remained in effect and would be enforced.

Bryan said residents who had not filed 2018 income taxes could seek a federal stimulus payment by filing a provisional tax return showing zero tax liability and dropping off the form at an Internal Revenue Bureau office. He said he expected people using that process to receive stimulus checks by mid-May.

He also said the first phase of the territory's 30-day stay-at-home order would end the following week and that the week of April 20 would help determine the next steps in the territory's response to the pandemic.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/governor-bryan-updates-residents-on-covid-19/