The Department of Health confirms the 12th death related to COVID-19. The deceased was a 72-year-old female on St. Thomas. The Department of Health continues to work with other agencies, taking unprecedented actions to slow the spread of COVID-19.
During his weekly press briefing on Monday, Governor Albert Bryan Jr. stressed the need for residents to refrain from moving about the territory as the territory enters the critical second week of its “Stay at Home” phase.
While he announced some adjustments in easing some of the current requirements of his most recent executive order, the Governor also said that this week is pivotal. Health officials hope that the territory will see a return to a virus positivity rate of 5 percent or lower. “We have already seen a significant decline in passengers arriving by plane, especially in the St. Thomas-St. John District as a result of the moratorium on leisure travel,” Governor Bryan said. “Unfortunately, we have not yet seen the decline in positivity rates that we are hoping to achieve. This was not unexpected, as we are experiencing the result of those infections that occurred prior to the ‘Stay at Home’ order being effectuated.”
The Governor also amended some of the restrictions currently in place under his executive order and said some specific businesses/organizations can remain open:
· The Census Bureau, their contractors and workers
· Dive shops for the purpose of refilling oxygen tanks only to aid the fishing industry
· Houses of worship, which can hold services with more than 10 persons in the entire sanctuary and can provide Communion if it is presented to receivers in protected containers
· Professional services, such as legal services, accounting services, and insurance companies to assist in compliance with legally mandated matters
“I want to assure those employees and businesses that have been negatively affected by this public health order that we are aware of their challenges, and we will not maintain this order any longer than necessary,” Governor Bryan said.
The Board of Directors of the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority has selected Roger E. Merritt Jr. to serve as WMA executive director. Mr. Merritt was part of an exodus of a group of executives who left WMA in early 2018. Merritt rehired after being vetted among a field of applicants, both local and national. The board thanked Acting Chief Operating Officer Ann Hanley, "who stepped up to provide continuity of leadership as Interim Executive Director, along with her team, during the process of selecting a permanent executive director."
The Department of Human Services apologizing for the delay in issuing the Pandemic EBT Benefits Card. The department has been working to address several hurdles, including getting the right mailing addresses from the Department of Education.
Effective September 1, Magens Bay Beach Hours will be 7:00 am to 5:30 pm. Smith Bay Beach hours will remain unchanged (8:00 am to 5:00 pm). Magens Bay Authority urges those who choose to visit to maintain social distancing guidelines between themselves and other parties, employ other necessary safety precautions.