COVID cases climb to 11, fines increase
There are now 11 active COVID-19 cases in the BVI.
Health Minister Carvin Malone revealed this number Thursday night, December 17. The minister said all the active cases were imported and were confirmed either after the first COVID-19 test immediately after landing or after the second test on the fourth day of quarantine.
Two of the active cases are returning residents and nine are tourists or non-residents.
“All persons were deemed non-symptomatic and are safe and secured in quarantine until they have completed the re-test protocols yielding negative results to be considered recovered,” Malone said.
Fines increase
Cabinet has also increased the fines for persons who breach COVID-19 protocols:
1. Fines for deliberate tamper and damage to geo-fencing (tracking) devices are up from $125 to $2,000.
2. Unauthorised visits to those under quarantine will pull a fine of $5,000 up from $500.
3. Failure to comply with a quarantine order will see offenders charged a fine between $5,000 and $10,000
4. Those who contravene the COVID-19 protocols and guidelines face a fine of $10,000 up from $1,000.
The fine increases come just days after it was revealed that a traveller who tested positive for COVID-19 upon arrival in the BVI, left the quarantine area without approval and put more than 16 persons at risk of contracting the virus.
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It’s all well and good to increase the fines but for that to work, you have to start finding people.
Since the economy is failing, the government must come up with new revenue streams. This is one of them
Carry on.
They so privileged the don’t have sense.
how is it people doing the test within 5 days and still landing as infected. whats wrong with people
Because many tests are NOT accurate, I know the person that was tested 3 times, negative, positive, and negative!
Because it can take several days to test positive…. Or you can catch COVID-19 after the first test & before arriving here. Duh!!!!
exponential growth? And folk slipping in the back door>
Think about the Man in Italy that got a $3,550 fine for breaking quarantine for 8 seconds after he argued with his wife.
@Wondering knowledge is power….it is simple. The got infected after they did the test fool
That may be a good idea but you have to cross all the ts and dot all the I. In this situation you have to increase the fines for persons entering the BVI illegally during this pandemic or we will still be exposing ourselves to the risk of contracting the virus.
“All persons were deemed non-symptomatic and are safe and secured in quarantine until they have completed the re-test protocols yielding negative results to be considered recovered,” Malone said.
All are non-symptomatic? For a virus the world is shut down for does this not seem a little strange? Or, maybe we are just that blessed?
Is it that the tests are so sensitive the possibility of false negatives are there?
Is it to promote fear so that keeps the sheep afraid?
For such a terrifying virus portrayed by medical professionals and the media how lucky we are that none who tested positive display ANY symptoms.
I’d rather be safe than sorry and yield to the side of caution, but sometimes when things don’t quite add up there is often good reason/s behind it!
May our country stay blessed but something ain’t smell right in paradise!
It is statistically impossible to have so few numbers entering the Territory, taking a PCR Covid test with negative results just prior to entering, taking an on island test, showing positive and being asymptomatic. These are all if not most false positives. Given the fact that there are so few incoming the number of false positives would be statistically impossible if the testing was done properly. It obviously is not and people are quarantining for no reason. Spend your vacation elsewhere people. This island doesn’t want you.
#2 dont you mean from $500 to $5000?
You are a true definition of your name. What you called a typo is the same thing you are saying! now 5000 up from 500 is the same as saying from 500 to 5000. Don’t understand why people are so quick to critic when they can’t understand basis English.
Or know how to spell…
Anyone heard anything lately about the Cuban Doctors. we are now getting cases, I guess they are being put to work now.
everyone should just quit all the insults it is so unhealthy and backwards. ie “duh” “fool” ..etc look at every post on this website someone is always slinging stones , insults or whatever. grow up and stop the name calling.
thank you
Let’s fine $10,000 for anyone who tests positive. And, lets charge them $ 10K for additional tests required for anyone who tests positive. Since collecting these fees could be problematic, let’s also require all visitors to post a $ 100K bond, refundable upon departure (less say 10% “administrative costs”) if their test upon departure is negative.
The BVI Government really should publish the Cycle Threshold (Ct) they are using to determine a “positive” reading on their PCR tests. If the Ct they are using is higher than the Ct where the traveler was tested prior to departure, there is a significant risk of a false positive reading. If the cases prove to be non-symptomatic, this would be one likely explanation.