Health Officials Report No Confirmed Cases of Coronavirus in the Virgin Islands

St. Croix, US Virgin Islands (March 5, 2020) - The Virgin Islands Department of Health advises the public that there are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Thus far two out of now four Persons under Investigation (PUIs) have tested negative with two results.

This should not alarm the public, but be an indication of the high level of alert and stringent preventative measures the Health Department is proactively taking in response to this global outbreak.

In light of increased worldwide spread, as an extra precaution, the testing criteria has been widened to include severe respiratory cases that did not travel to affected areas. It is also important to note that influenza activity is also at high levels and may present with similar symptoms.

Health officials know that early discovery and isolation are critical to preventing the spread of this disease. As the symptoms of COVID-19 are very similar to many other respiratory illnesses, including the common cold and influenza, it is expected that with time more persons who meet the testing criteria will be tested.

You can protect yourself and your family from COVID-19 and other diseases by:

• Frequently washing your hands with soap and warm water
• Avoiding touching your face –especially your mouth, nose and eyes 
• When coughing and sneezing cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue –throw tissue away immediately and wash hands 
• Avoiding close contact with anyone who has a cold or flu-like symptoms 
• Avoiding all nonessential travel to mainland China, Iran, Italy and South Korea

If you or someone you know has traveled to a location with human to human transmission of COVID-19 within 14 days of becoming ill with fever and respiratory symptoms call ahead before going to see a doctor or emergency room and tell them your symptoms and where you traveled from.

To report a suspect case, call the Department of Health’s Epidemiology Division at (340)-712-6299 or (340)-774-7477 extension 5647.

The Health Department encourages the community to only share accurate health information from trusted sources.

“Misinformation hurts real efforts to inform the public regarding important public health matters. I’m encouraging Virgin Islanders to always look to official sources for accurate information,” Jahnesta Ritter, Department of Health Director of Public Relations stated.

For local health information and advisories visit: Virgin Islands Department of Health website www.doh.vi.govFacebook page www.facebook.com/virginislandsDOH

The Department of Health will continue to monitor the outbreak as it develops and will provide updates to the public.