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WASHINGTON DC, USA- Despite criticism from some sections of society, the COVID-19 suppression and control measures by Government continue to keep the Virgin Islands safe and other countries are taking note.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its travel health notices for a number of countries in the Caribbean region on August 6, 2020, placing them under Level Warning 3.

VI deemed safe destination for travel

The Virgin Islands; however, has been deemed safe as it did not make the list warning Americans that the several Caribbean islands have been identified as high risk for COVID-19.

This means US citizens should avoid all nonessential travel to the listed destination due to the risk of COVID-19.

The countries include: Montserrat, Belize, The Bahamas, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Jamaica, Guyana, Haiti, Martinique, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Sint Maarten, Aruba, Trinidad and Tobago, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, US Virgin Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Saint Martin, Puerto Rico, The Dominican Republic, Curacao, Cuba, Guadeloupe, French Guiana, Bermuda, Antigua and Barbuda and Anguilla.

The CDC notes that if someone gets sick with COVID-19 (or test positive for COVID-19, even if they have no symptoms) while abroad, they may be isolated or not be permitted to return to the United States until they have fully recovered from the illness.

If a person is exposed to COVID-19 while abroad, that person may be quarantined or not be permitted to return to the United States until 14 days after their last exposure.

Watch list

Some Caribbean countries have also been placed under a Watch Level 1. This means US travellers should practice usual precautions as over the last 28 days new cases of COVID-19 in these destinations decreased of stabilised.

The islands under this watch include: Saint Barthelemy, Saba, Sint Eustatius and Bonaire

The Virgin Islands has not been receiving tourists as yet; however, it is a morale boost for the Territory and its COVID-19 efforts.

The Virgin Islands has had 9 cases of COVID-19, with one death. There is currently one active case in the Territory, which was imported.

The infected person, who reportedly travelled from the Dominican Republic, remains in isolation.