Good day. 

The Ministry of Health received 3,339 test results since the last update, 108 were positive for COVID-19, yielding a positivity rate of 3.2%. These results are from testing that took place on Wednesday, with 70 positive out of 1865 test results received (3.7%), and testing on Thursday where there were 38 positive out of 1474 (2.6%). 

22 of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact as they are associated with known cases. The additional 86 new cases are classified as under investigation. These cases are among residents with no currently identified link to other known cases or history of travel in the past 14 days.

Additionally, since the last update, there were 15 recoveries.

There are currently 630 active cases, of which;

·           612 are under public health monitoring and;

·           18 are in the hospital, with four in critical care.

Since March 2020, Bermuda has recorded 1400 total confirmed cases of COVID-19; out of those, 758 persons have recovered, and 12 persons have sadly succumbed to COVID-19.

The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 41 years (median: 39 years), and the ages range from less than one year to greater than 100 years.

The mean age of all currently active cases is 40 years (median: 39 years), and the ages range from less than ten years (age group: 0-9 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years).

The mean age of all hospitalised cases is 60 years (median: 57 years), and the ages range from less than 30 years (age group: 20-29 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years). None of the hospitalised cases includes people who are fully immunised (having had two vaccine doses with the 2nd dose more than two weeks prior to hospitalisation) 

The mean age of all deceased cases is 75 years (median: 77 years), and the ages range from less than 60 years (age group: 50-59 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years).

The source of all cases is as follows:

·         245 are imported

·         901 are classified as local transmission of which:

o   809 are local transmission with known contact/source and 

o   92 are local transmission with an unknown contact/source

·         254 are under investigation

As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. Today’s update has 23 cases moving from under investigation to local transmission with known contact/source.

Of the over 200,000 test results reported, the mean age of all persons tested is 43 years (median:  42 years), and the ages range from less than one year to greater than 100 years.

The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is 1.72.

Bermuda’s current WHO country status is “Community Transmission”.

Since 19 March 2021, there have been 56 emergency room visits associated with the current outbreak among persons with COVID-19.

“Our hospitalised COVID-19 patients are rising, and that is very disturbing,” said Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP. ”We need to all make sure that we are doing our best to stop the spread and stay in our bubbles.” 

“There are quite a number of clusters of cases identified by the Case Management team. This very much reflects the contagious nature of the UK variant. Please be patient with our contact tracers as they aim to contact the increased number of persons confirmed with COVID-19 and their close contacts. If a friend or colleague has told you that they have tested positive and you are a close contact, please do not wait until the contact tracer contacts you. Put yourself in quarantine.”

“I also want to remind parents of children who are in quarantine to work with the Ministry of Health. The Ministry of Health assesses all test results. Negative test results by a particular child or teacher will not automatically mean release from quarantine. The Ministry will inform the school directly who may be released from quarantine and when.”

“The vast majority of parents are cooperating in this challenging situation, but some are less cooperative and question the guidance provided by medical and public health professionals. Please remember the safety of the entire island is paramount, and our public health measures are in place to protect the community. Please be patient.”