BVI’s active COVID cases now at 20

The number of active COVID-19 cases in the territory has now climbed to 20.

Announcing the increase in a national broadcast on Thursday, Premier Andrew Fahie said 13 of those active cases are on Tortola and the remaining seven are aboard marine vessels.

“Based on the epidemiological summary provided by the Public Health Unit team, two of these cases were captured in the arrival Day 0 screening, 10 on their Day 4 screening, one of the Day 14 screening and three through travel screening,” Premier Fahie detailed.

He said there continue to be four local cases; one of whom is hospitalised for other non-COVID medical conditions.

Over 8,500 vaccinated

In his statements, Premier Fahie further urged residents to get vaccinated.

As of April 7, the number of persons vaccinated in the BVI is 8,519. And according to health officials, there has been no reports of any significant adverse effects to those persons, Fahie stated.

“We have the capacity to vaccinate at least 9,000 more people. Each supply that is currently on hand each has expiration dates, which is fast approaching.
We will continue to educate, and inform the public of the benefits and advantages of being vaccinated. Our lives, our health and our economy depend on what we all do,” the Premier said.

“What we will not do, is allow our supply of vaccines to expire awaiting the decisions of some of the public. In this regard, a decision will have to be made whether or not the volume of vaccines that is at risk of being expired would have to be returned to the United Kingdom and/or Dominica,” he added.

Vaccinations in the BVI are voluntary. Other countries like Grenada has made vaccinations mandatory for all staff at quarantine facilities for incoming passengers.