🌱 Active COVID-19 Cases Drops + Bryan May Let More Cruises In

The VI Department of Health reported a significant drop in the number of active COVID-19 cases on Tuesday night, down 1831 from Monday. The Department only considers cases "active" for a certain number of days after testing positive, so it makes sense that so many of the positive cases from the end of December and early January are now considered recovered.

Could it also mean that the rate of new cases has slowed down? Possibly. Although the positivity rate is still 20 percent and people are reporting that they can't get tested promptly.

There's more to the news today than Covid-19, however. Check out these other stories worth reading:

• The following COVID-19 restrictions will remain in place until Jan. 25 as Omicron continues to tear through the territory:
  • 11 p.m. last call and mandatory midnight closure of all bars and restaurants
  • 72-hour testing for all incoming travelers
  • Government office hours are also limited as more employees are infected, via the Virgin Islands Daily news.
• Small businesses across the territory are losing money as cruise ships that were scheduled to dock in the USVI are diverted. The ships are being diverted due to high Covid-rates onboard, following a Memorium of Understanding that caps positivity rates at 1%. Given the USVI positivity rate is now 21.7 percent, Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. said he is considering changing the MOU with the cruise lines to raise the allowable positivity rate to 2%. Via the Virgin Islands Daily News.
• Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. told the Consortium that he will fight any legislation aimed at controlling how his administration spends $504 million in federal Covid-19 relief funds. The bill in question, No. 34-0073, has been held up due to questions about its legitimacy. Bryan is arguing that the Senate has no right to oversee or control how his administration spends the funds because the money is already determined by federal regulations, via the VI Consortium.
• The VI Department of Health announced the territory's 90th death from COVID-19, an 84-year-old woman on St. Thomas. Via The Source.

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Today's weather: Partly sunny, showers around. High: 83 Low: 73.

Today's Events:

• Wednesdays with Wayne (5:00 p.m.)
• Trivia Night at Hotel On The Cay (7:00 p.m.)

Social Highlights:

• The Dept. of Health is expanding COVID-19 testing on St. John. Check out the full schedule here. (Facebook)
• #StCroix Source: 667 Kilograms of Cocaine Apprehended On-Board a Vessel Near St. Croix; Three British Virgin Islands Citizens and a Citizen of the Dominican Republic Arrested (Twitter)
• US Virgin Islands Cycling is hosting the first-ever St. Croix Cross Island Challenge: Start training NOW! March 11-13 on the big island of St Croix. Take on 25, 40 or 80 miles! Sign up today for early bird pricing: https://raceroster.com/.../stx-cross-island-challenge...: (Facebook)
• #StCroix Source: DOH Reminds Public of Testing, Isolation, and Quarantine Procedures. (Twitter)
• Friends of Virgin Islands National Park: Volunteers are needed to respond to a large surge of invasive lionfish in our waters. CORE will be scheduling responder training for later this month so keep an eye out for details! (Facebook)

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— 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.