On 12 January 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that a novel coronavirus was the cause of a respiratory illness in a cluster of people in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, which was reported to the WHO on 31 December 2019.

[7][5] From 19 March, Public Health England no longer classified COVID-19 as a "High consequence infectious disease".

Patient B was a 32-year-old resident who travelled recently from New York City #BigApple and came into contact with a person who tested positive for COVID-19 on 8 March.

[21] The rise in infections was blamed by the Government on people re-entering the Territory illegally from the neighbouring U.S. Virgin Islands to evade mandatory quarantine restrictions.

[25] The curfew was extended to 1 October and included a ban on boats entering or leaving the territory without permission, confirmed cases stand at 71.

[27] Like many countries, the British Virgin Islands imposed restrictions on movement of citizens, and limited international access into and out of the Territory, to try to control the spread of the virus.

[35] Borders were closed until June 2, but persons travelling to the Territory were required to spend 14 days in quarantine after arrival.