JVD cleared! Gov’t revokes 24-hour lockdown
Health Minister Carvin Malone
The 24-hour lockdown on residents of Jost Van Dkye has been lifted after tests conducted on residents for the Coronavirus Disease returned negative.
“I am very happy to report that the BVI Health Services Authority has concluded it’s testing of all close contacts, the vast majority of persons residing on the island, as well as several recent visitors to Jost Van Dyke, and all test results were negative for COVID-19,” Health Minister Carvin Malone said on Saturday.
He informed the public that some 335 persons on Jost Van Dyke, 20 persons on Tortola and three on Virgin Gorda were tested for the virus.
He continued: “Based on these encouraging findings, I have today brought into effect the Public Health (Covid-19 Control and Suppression Measures – Jost Van Dyke) (Revocation) Order, 2020 which revokes the 24-hour curfew, testing requirements, and restrictions on the movement of vessels between Jost Van Dyke and other places in the territory.”
No evidence of active cases!
The minister further said this is good news for the British Virgin Islands.
“I rejoice with the entire Territory that no evidence of active person-to-person transmission of the COVID-19 virus has been detected on Jost Van Dyke or throughout the Virgin Islands after widespread screening and testing,” he said.
He added: “These results may, understandably, give rise to concerns about the necessity of the approach that was taken to safeguard the health of persons who could possibly have been exposed to the virus. On the other hand, if positive cases had been detected, the concern may have been that we should have acted sooner, or more aggressively.”
Previously-published story
More than 300 persons who were recently tested for COVID-19 throughout the British Virgin Islands have all returned negative results.
This is according to Health Minister Carvin Malone who made the announcement during a COVID-19 update late Friday.
He said that 316 samples were collected on Jost Van Dyke, 20 on Tortola and three on Virgin Gordan between Tuesday, July 21, and Thursday, July 23.
Minister Malone also said an additional 19 samples were taken on Friday from residents of Jost Van Dyke and those results will be revealed to the public once they return from the national laboratory.
In the meantime, Minister Malone said Health officials had successfully executed contact tracing from the positive case which was detected in St Vincent and the Grenadines after travelling from the BVI.
He said: “Seventeen close contacts on Jost Van Dyke, as well as four on Tortola, were immediately quarantined and tested and all results returned negative for the virus that causes COVID-19.”
Premier and family tested too
Malone is encouraging all persons who would have visited the sister island of Jost Van Dyke during the month of July to come forward for COVID-19 testing by contacting the BVI’s Medical Hotline at 284-852-7650 to set up an appointment.
Premier Andrew Fahie is one such person.
“I too recently visited our beautiful island of Jost Van Dyke and have ensured that my family and I were tested and our results have shown that we have tested negative for COVID-19,” Fahie said.
“It was important that as the head of the territory that whatever policy was mandated for one, must be adhered too by all,” he added.
As of Thursday, July 23, a total of 1,253 persons in the BVI have been tested for COVID-19 with 1,245 persons testing negative and eight positive.
Jost Van Dyke will remain under 24-hour lockdown until Tuesday, July 28.
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Blasted woman left us in a confusion hope she not allowed back
So what are the Cuban medical team going to do? Sit on the beach and drink Cuba Libra’s? I guess it’s just going to be a paid holiday paid for by the people of the Territory. Testing now takes minutes. Open the borders. By the time a person gets through customs and immigration test results will be in hand. Those negative allow to enter, those positive isolate and return to where they came. Enough is enough. All other Caribbean islands open or scheduled to open. Not a peep out of the Foy on the subject.
Could be the reason them bringing them here. For when they open the boarders, they will be on stand by should anything happen or should the hospital need a few extra hands.. idk
I only hearing about test kits and doctors what about ventilators and other medical equipment and supplies needed remember that in the BVI 100 persons infected is a delima
So what is wrong with the Cubans chilling on the beach? Isn’t that what all these whites holding top positions in the BVI and those trust companies do, having blacks do all the work, while they are here on paid vacation? Come thru Cuban brothers and sisters. Welcome.
You’re right. The lazy Belongers don’t do anything. The Belongers import down island labor and whites to do all the work. The Belongers are too stupid and too lazy to work. They just deal drugs and steal from the government coffers which are filled by the whites and down islanders.
I guess you aren’t any smarter either to help spill that rubbish here
Just a minute! I’m black and work in a trust company and all I do all day is lie on the beach and let black people do the work. My wife is also black but she just gossips all day. Remember, Black Wives Natter.
Have some respect, man.
Black
Please do not pay any attention to naysayers like this. You can tell this person is a real JACK A**. Please go back to where you are from and tell the gov there of your genius plan .. believe me they need it. ??. In this day and age people are still so ignorant and out of touch. Only the island people are pushing for boarders to open. They have an hidden agenda. Hon. Premier take your time and do what you have to do to maintain the safety of your people.
it could have been you.
let me hear all the negative assaults and those that was condemning JVD. I guess the extra 8 must’ve came from Tola then. kmt
Friend like we need to test everyone in tortola
Who’s assaulting JVD???
There are only so many people on JVD and whoever the individual is that tested positive upon arriving in SVG may have caught the virus from someone visiting by boat.
what dam boat. speak what you know. we don’t have no corona. nothing come from here. The young lady still resides at home with her mother at present. if she had corona her government needed to remove her from her home from infecting the rest. speak what you know. when the Philippine lady die in Tola did she get sick from a boat. I say test the whole ah Tola and lock um down kmt
Somebody lying and is not the bvi
Told y’all fake test I don’t trust at Vincent people as far as I could throw them so imagine them nationals too
But thankful in Jesus name that the tests are negative. Praise the lord and give thanks to our ALMIGHTY!
That woman should never step back foot here In our beautiful Virgin Islands
Did she really have the Covid19? or was it a faulty rest, or someone else test??
Why didn’t the BVI track her down and ask her to test again before all this drama?
Why because she caught a virus that doesn’t discriminate like we do
We need to be testing. We have a tiny population meaning this should be easy. Cayman has tested nearly thirty thousand.
Agree
Cayman Islands is more than 10 times the size of the BVI with double the population.
Cayman Islands is 10 times the size of the BVI? Where you got that from buddy….?
What every day?? They need to lock up the guys bringing people in for $1,000.00 from the USVI.
Good show.My only concern is that the media is given notice of persons results before persons are actually notified of there test results here on jost van dyke. luckily they’re all negative.. isn’t that a violation of HIPAA laws, however? Or it goes against some form of Human rights? I know it’s a pandemic and what not.. but c’mon now we shouldn’t have to turn on the news to know what our results are..is what I’m saying
first we need to know how sensitive is the test we are using. Also after five days of infection the accuracy of the swabs dramatically falls. Let’s continue to be vigilent.
If persons were tested negative in JVD with the JVD residents requiring 14 days quarantine while those who visited the island who also tested negative do not require quarantining, why do returning residents who test negative after traveling overseas need to be quarantined for 14 days AND tested again after 14 days while in the case of JVD residents there is not a second testing?
Edit: that should be JVD quarantining for 7 days …
So some refused testing …look how they trying cause the Govt to enforce testing.
Sorry to say there is no law saying you must take the test. I say, that is being foolish. I would welcome the test. The ones that refuse the test, is the ones you have to be careful around.
So thankful that everyone who were tested their results came back negative. We must still adhere to the protocols that was put in place. We in the BVI, need to understand that in order for this virus to go away and leave us alone we have to wear a mask, that will stop the spread of the virus, practice good personal hygiene, keep hands washed and sanitize, keep your home clean and SOCIAL DISTANCE. ST. Thomas was doing good and all of a sudden cases is popping up and a 23 year old pregnant young lady and her unborn child died from the virus.
some of the conversations are concerning. banishing people??
Do you think someone went out to get covid? More so we do not know how that woman is feeling today or dealing with the symptoms?
my two greatest heroes guide me through life and both had a similar message
“me only have one ambition, y know I have have one thing I would really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together black white Chinese everyone that’s all” Bob Marley
“we must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools” Martin Luther King
when we look ourselves in the mirror are we proud of who we see?
she did retest. she did the nose drill and the mouth swab. she is negative
Honestly who has the time to be writing racist comments on every yellow site article.
I couldnt care less where you are from once there is space & jobs for everyone, and you call the johnny cake by the right name. We all came from Africa but the comments is out of control over there.
I swear its one set of people are trying their hardest to portray VI in a bad light, even masquerading as local while talking bad about their own fellow expat people.
Just to stir up trouble and hatred against the local population.
There is proof of this irrefutable proof of it for who has been paying attention.
Proven to be Fake ‘hogie’ and all kinds of stupidness.
Then we get idiots on both ‘sides’ clapping back cause they dont see what is really going on.
The comments online do not represent the people on the ground plain out.
These people get a kick out of it or are getting paid to do it.
I totally agree with your comments. Some people are out to give the BVI a bad name. If we were that bad would you have been here for all those years? Please stop on both sides making such negative comments.
The WHO says we must test, test and test. We have to assume that during this pandemic the RT-PCR tests have low sensitivity and so a negative swab test cannot be used for ruling out covid 19 because if we do get high false negative results this can have serious consequences to society. For example care givers who think they are negative may not even know they are spreading it to vulnerable dependants etc. I agree with the comment that retesting should be done and lets all remain vigilant and wear masks, social distance ourself and wash hands. Remember that our goal is to get the economy going and in order for the economy to open we have to be able to see the disease and this can only be done by testing, testing and testing, contact tracing and isolation. We are in this together.
All test negative!!!! Bring in the Cuban doctors?????????? Something doesn’t add up!
Most of JVD ended up getting tested because one girl was said to be positive upon arriving to her home country from the bvi’s. And they were said to be hiding individuals that illegally entered from the USVI and withholding information from authorities when they tried to contact trace. Persons that were in close contact were told to quarantine but they refused causing the whole island to go on lockdown to conduct mass testings..
Cubans are traveling around the world helping out with the covid19. They’re known t ok be some of the world’s best doctors. Before JVD get tested, they were all in route to come to the BVI. Maybe they are here to aid as a helping hand when the borders open. One thing for sure, they have arrive and we need them. Simple maths to add up
Can we have some bulk testing like they are doing in Africa?