ROAD TOWN, British Virgin Islands – British Virgin Islands (BVI) Governor Augustus Jaspert late last month announced a lockdown as it seeks to deal with an upsurge in the number of coronavirus (COVID-19) cases.
“Fahie”Premier Andrew Fahie also announced an initiative that will give border security officers in the British overseas territory a monthly allowance in the wake of the pandemic.
Up to press time, the BVI had recorded one death and 25 positive cases of the virus.
Jaspert said that with effect from Aug. 26, for seven days in the first instance, only those businesses that provide essential services will be open and all other businesses and work places must be closed.
“People will be free to leave their homes during 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. (local time), but we ask that you limit this as much as possible and only do so to access essential services and activities,” Jaspert said.
He said that the BVI is recording further cases of COVID-19 and is now being classified as “having clusters of cases.”
Fahie, meanwhile, said BVI had “boosted our manpower for law enforcement and border protection.” The premier also said government is putting the necessary measures in place to increase the overall fleet size of law enforcement vessels to further protect and strengthen the territory’s borders.
