Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 03, 2025

False Alarm! Suspected COVID-19 Case Linked To JVD Tests Negative

False Alarm! Suspected COVID-19 Case Linked To JVD Tests Negative

The person who travelled from the BVI to St. Vincent and the Grenadines has confirmed to be negative for the virus that causes COVID-19.
Initially, health officials in St. Vincent notified their counterparts here in the BVI that the passenger tested positive upon arrival on the island via St. Lucia.

"I am happy to report that the BVI has now received from St. Vincent, the official results of the second set of tests from CARPHA in Trinidad of the case previously affiliated with Jost Van Dyke. The results are now reported as negative," Minister of Health, Hon Carvin Malone disclosed last evening, August 2.

He added, "We are extremely pleased with this result and because of the extended period of time in receiving the official notification, we remain confident that the pre-emptive steps taken were required to prevent community spread, had the final results proven different."

Following the initial report from St. Vincent, the Government established that the individual had been on Just Van Dyke for an extended period.

The island was ordered to be locked down for 24 hours, allowing for community quarantine and testing intervention as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.

Residents complained bitterly against the lockdown.

"We empathise with the businesses and residents of Jost Van Dyke for the economic and social disturbances caused as a result of the lock-down. We thank everyone for coming out to be tested to ensure that all of us remain healthy and safe. COVID-19 is affecting so many around the world and we want to do our best to ensure that everyone at home remains safe," Hon. Malone said last evening.

The Government had opted to roll back the lockdown, days earlier than initially planned.

The lockdown was initially slated to end on Tuesday, July 28, but on July 25, the Minister announced the lifting of the restrictions.

"Today, I am very happy to report that the BVI Health Services Authority has concluded its 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," Hon. Malone stated in July 25.

According to the Minister, tests were carried out on 335 persons on Jost Van Dyke, 20 on Tortola and three on Virgin Gorda.

Understandably, the Minister stated, that the results may 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," Hon. Malone pointed out.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Taylor Swift Gains Ownership of Her First Six Albums
Bangkok Ranked World's Top City for Remote Work in 2025
Satirical Sketch Sparks Political Spouse Feud in South Korea
Indonesia Quarry Collapse Leaves Multiple Dead and Missing
South Korean Election Video Pulled Amid Misogyny Outcry
Asian Economies Shift Away from US Dollar Amid Trade Tensions
Netflix Investigates Allegations of On-Set Mistreatment in K-Drama Production
US Defence Chief Reaffirms Strong Ties with Singapore Amid Regional Tensions
Vietnam Faces Strategic Dilemma Over China's Mekong River Projects
Malaysia's First AI Preacher Sparks Debate on Islamic Principles
White House Press Secretary Criticizes Harvard Funding, Advocates for Vocational Training
France to Implement Nationwide Smoking Ban in Outdoor Spaces Frequented by Children
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
Russia's Fossil Fuel Revenues Approach €900 Billion Since Ukraine Invasion
U.S. Justice Department Reduces American Bar Association's Role in Judicial Nominations
U.S. Department of Energy Unveils 'Doudna' Supercomputer to Advance AI Research
U.S. SEC Dismisses Lawsuit Against Binance Amid Regulatory Shift
Alcohol Industry Faces Increased Scrutiny Amid Health Concerns
Italy Faces Population Decline Amid Youth Emigration
×