In a video of the funeral streamed online, the service which was scheduled for 8:00 am- 9:00 am at the Sea Cows Bay Methodist church was crowded and some attendees seen without masks.

The church has since closed its doors out of an "abundance of caution", following news of a funeral attendee testing positive for COVID-19 and exposing the entire congregation.

Authorities are now grappling to contact trace those attendees, telling the VI in a March 28, 2021, public missive, that all persons who attended the funeral should isolate for 10 days and contact the Public Health Unit from Monday, March 29, 2021, for testing.

Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) told VINO that authorities learnt of the positive test of the individual who attended the funeral from lab results, however, no further details were provided.

Videos of the March 27, 2021, possible super-spreader funeral service in Sea Cows Bay, Tortola, have revealed that the event may have violated current COVID-19 guideline and protocols regarding social distancing.

Mass testing to being to begin in April

Special Advisor to the Ministry of Health, Dr Ronald E. Georges said that mass testing of the attendees would only commence after 10 days, “At 10 days, we are looking at 90 something per cent of persons who would become positive who would be positive, so that is actually a better time to test,” he said.

While authorities remain tight-lipped on details surrounding the funeral.

Minister for Health and Social Development, Hon Carvin Malone (AL) told VINO that authorities learnt of the positive test of the individual who attended the funeral from lab results; however, no further details were provided.

In official documents seen by VINO, the individual in question was reportedly issued a ‘certificate of release’ after a negative Sars-CoV-2-RT-PCR test result via a Nasopharyngeal swab where the sample was taken on March 23, 2021, and the tests result received on March 24, 2021.

An internal investigation has reportedly been launched.