Tag: U.S. Virgin Islands Department of Health (VIDOH)

U.S. Virgin Islands Shortens COVID-19 Testing Window For Travelers

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The U.S. Virgin Islands has updated its COVID-19 testing requirements for travelers. The new requirements mean all U.S-based travelers aged 5 or older must submit a negative test result (antigen or PCR) within three days before travel to the USVI. The new rules took effect yesterday. The change applies both to vaccinated […]

St. Croix Welcomes First Baby Born Into The New Year

DIAMOND RUBY — St. Croix and the U.S. Virgin Islands welcomed the first baby of the year at exactly 55 minutes after midnight. Baby Boy Immanuel Acosta, born on January 1, 2022 at 12:55 a.m., the Juan F. Luis Hospital said. Acosta was born 6 pounds, 11 ounces and is “thriving, active and observant,” according […]

U.S. Virgin Islands Travelers Now Face Mandatory Quarantine In Illinois

CHICAGO — Illinois Health officials added the U.S. Virgin Islands and two mainland states to the Chicago travel advisory list this week. The designation means that all travelers coming from the territory, Louisiana and South Carolina must self-quarantine upon arrival in Illinois. As of January 1, 2022, St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John had […]

St. John Resident Becomes 89th Victim Of COVID-19 In The Territory, VIDOH Says

CRUZ BAY — The Virgin Islands Department of Health on Thursday confirmed another person has fallen victim to COVID-19. A 68-year-old man on St. John recently died from the disease, according to a VIDOH press release. The USVI death total now stands at 89, since the territory first began tracking pandemic fatalities last year. With […]

Jewel of the Seas Puts COVID-Infected Crew Members Onto Rhapsody of the Seas To Avoid Being Blocked At Caribbean Ports

PHILIPSBURG — The Jewel of the Seas faced a dilemma Sunday.  After starting the day with fifteen crew members and five guests testing positive for COVID-19, ten additional crewmembers later tested positive for the virus. This brought the number of infected crew members to a total of twenty-five. With five infected guests, the total number of infected […]

Santa Left Omicron Under The Christmas Tree In The U.S. Virgin Islands This Holiday

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — As of Christmas Day, there were 544 active cases of COVID-19 in the territory, the Virgin Islands Department of Health said. It is the highest number of active cases since the start of the pandemic.  There were 240 cases on St. Croix, 296 cases on St. Thomas and 8 cases on St. […]

Juan F. Luis Hospital Continues To Provide Safe Patient Care Within ICU, ER

DIAMOND RUBY — Contrary to what has been recently communicated by some media outlets, the Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Emergency Room (ER) remain open and caring for patients, the hospital said today. JFL has suffered staffing challenges and has been using Pafford Medical Services to augment JFL’s […]

Government Says It Will Dole Out Another Round Of Income Tax Refunds This Week

CHRISTIANSTED — During the Government House weekly press briefing today, Government House Communications Director Richard Motta said the government has begun distributing another round of income tax refunds totaling $25 million. Governor Albert Bryan has said he expects the Virgin Islands government to become current on all outstanding income tax refunds in 2022. This latest […]

Health Says Dr. Luis Amaro Is Officially Out As CEO Of Schneider Medical Center

CHARLOTTE AMALIE — The Virgin Islands Department of Health issued a two-paragraph prepared statement stating that Dr. Luis Amaro was no longer the CEO of the Schneider Regional Medical Center & Hospital. Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion forwarded an unsigned “press release” from the Government Hospitals and Health Facilities Corporation saying that it had formally accepted […]

Bryan Urges Virgin Islanders To Observe ‘A Thanksgiving Day of Reflection’ In 2021

CHRISTIANSTED — During the Government House weekly press briefing today, Governor Albert Bryan wished all residents of the community a safe and blessed Thanksgiving and urged them to observe “A Thanksgiving Day of Reflection” by stopping to reflect on the COVID-19 pandemic while spending time with family, friends and relatives on Friday, November 26. “As […]