The Government of the Virgin Islands has lifted the 7-day COVID-19 lockdown on the sister island of Jost van Dyke effective today, Saturday, July 25, 2020.

The early lift comes after the island was placed on lockdown last Tuesday, July 21, 2020, following reports that a passenger who travelled to St Vincent and the Grenadines with links to Jost van Dyke, had tested positive for COVID-19 on arrival in that country.

Via the Public Health (Covid-19 Control and Suppression Measures- Jost van Dyke) (Revocation) Order, 2020, Statutory Instrument Gazetted today, Deputy Premier and Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL), officially ended the lockdown which was scheduled to run until Tuesday, July 28, 2020.

The lockdown applied to persons and vessels on a 24-hour basis, to prevent any departures from Island.

All negative results from latest mass testing - Hon Malone

In an announcement last evening, Hon Malone said that after some 316 COVID-19 test samples collected on Jost van Dyke; with 20 on Tortola and 3 from Virgin Gorda between Tuesday and Thursday, July 23, 2020, all have returned negative test results.

Further, the lift comes as a group of 22 medical professionals from Cuba arrived today to aid in the COVID-19 fight, train locals and to help implement measures that can prevent and manage any future COVID-19 community transmission in the territory.