🌱 2150 Active COVID Cases In Territory, Testing Locations + More

Good morning, it is day three of 2022! More than 2,000 confirmed active cases of COVID-19 in the territory. Find out how to get tested (and more news) below.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny with a shower. High: 83 Low: 75. And check out the weekly forecast on Patch USVI.

Top Stories:

1. COVID-19 Update: 2150 active COVID-19 cases reported and a 7-day positivity average of 23.4% as of January 1.
2. Midway Plaza’s Hot Spot, an unused restaurant space on St. John, burned down early Friday morning. Midway’s gas station or grocery store were not affected. Midway owner Jerome Lake said he had plans to turn the space into coffee shop and he told the Virgin Islands Daily News that he will definitely rebuild.
3. A Disney Cruise ship was turned away after docking in St. Thomas due to a high number of active COVID-19 cases on board. However, a Disney Cruiseline spokesperson gave the Daily News a slightly different version: "The Disney Fantasy did not call on St. Thomas today due to both an increase in COVID-19 cases on the island and a small number of fully vaccinated crew members and guests — less than 1% of those on board — in isolation for COVID-19."
4. Crucian model Janeisha John is featured in the Holiday Issues of Ellements Magazine. The Consortium has the full story.

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As Seen on Social:

• On Dec 31. 2021, at 4:52 p.m., the 911 Emergency Call Center dispatched Virgin Islands Police Department officers to an accident that involved two vehicles. (Twitter)
• To schedule COVID-19 test, call (340) 712-6299 OR (340) 776-1519 or schedule online at covid19usvi.com/testing. The (free) appointments are for drive-thru testing at the Charles Harwood Complex and the Schneider Regional Medical Center. The Department of Health is also offering free testing (no appointment required) at the same drive-thru locations from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday. Pop-up testing is offered on St. John on Wednesdays and Fridays from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Port Authority Gravel Lot. (Facebook)

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That's it for today, see you tomorrow morning for another update.

— Ashleigh Baldwin

About me: I'm the Patch Community News Editor for the U.S. Virgin Islands. I'm here to provide news you can use. Do you have a news tip, question or feedback? Please contact me at ashleigh.baldwin@patch.com.