Beautiful Virgin Islands

Friday, Oct 24, 2025

‘We are dealing with sick people, not criminals’- DDM on Coronavirus

‘We are dealing with sick people, not criminals’- DDM on Coronavirus

Urges persons to desist from victimising persons infected or suspected to have virus
Information and Education Manager at the Department of Disaster Management, Mrs Chrystall Kanyuck-Abel has called on members of the public and media to avoid victimising persons infected or suspected to be infected with the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Addressing members of the media on Friday, March 6, 2020 at the Government Information Service conference room in RJT Edifice, Kanyuck-Abel said: “I would really emphasise that we be really responsible how we talk about persons who are at risk because I am sure you would have seen it in the international media, even from very high level of political figures internationally, they are really stirring that fear in a way that has caused certain persons to become victimised.”

She continued: “So when you are ordering the people who are at risk, you are feeding into a climate of fear, you are feeding into an Asian kid on the street getting beat-up. But, we could see how rumour spread on our small island and that might put people at risk, so just a reminder, we are dealing with sick people, not criminals.”

In the United States, for example, the US Department of Education has been urging school officials nationwide to address allegations that Asian students have been discriminated against over fears of the coronavirus, telling them that they are required to address such incidents under civil-rights law.

In a statement to educational leaders, the department’s Office for Civil Rights last week noted an increase in news reports regarding stereotyping, harassment and bullying directed at people believed to be of Asian descent, including students.

Restaurants and businesses with Asian or Asian American owners from California to New York report seeing drops in sales.

Keep pushing Coronavirus stories

Kanyuck-Abel then went on to urge members of the media to continue educating the public on the virus.

She said, since the Virgin Islands' first Coronavirus scare last week, persons are now paying more attention.

“Keep the stories coming in, even though it seems repetitive to you; there are certain people that are just now paying attention,” she remarked.

Meanwhile, a WhatsApp group has been created to communicate with the press on the virus, and the government also has a created an e-platform www.bvigov.vg/novel-coronavirus-info to share information on the virus, and others such as Chickungunea and Tuberculosis.

According to Worldometer, there are 107,944 cases of the coronavirus, 3,665 deaths, and 60,923, 43,356 infected patients with 37,314 in a mild condition and 6,042 in a serious or critical condition.

Worldometer is an online platform that features live world statistics on population, government and economics, society and media, environment, food, water, energy and health.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Porsche Reverses EV Strategy as New CEO Bets on Petrol and Hybrids
Singapore’s Prime Minister Warns of ‘Messy’ Transition to Post-American Global Order
Andreessen Horowitz Sets Sights on Ten-Billion-Dollar Fund for Tech Surge
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
×