Thank you, Premier. Good afternoon.

I start by echoing the sentiments expressed by the Premier in offering my condolences and my prayers for support for the families who have recently been impacted the death of their loved ones due to COVID.

As the Premier noted in last week’s press conference, our goal is to shorten the COVID-19 update press conferences. I will provide information on the positive cases, the positivity rate, and details of those who are infected, eg, travelers who tested positive and their flight details. My updates will continue to include how many people are in the local transmission category and how many are under investigation.

If anyone is looking for additional details, such as the mean age of the positive cases, that information will continue to be updated on the government website – coronavirus.gov.bm.

Since the last update two days ago, there were 3,348 test results received by the Ministry of Health and 118 were positive for COVID-19. This gives a test positivity rate of 3.5%. For Saturday, there were 64 positive cases out of 1575 results – a 4.1% positivity rate; and, for Sunday, we are reporting 54 positive cases out of 1773 results – 3.0% positivity rate.

Five of the new cases are classified as imported with the details as follows:

·        1 resident who arrived on American Airline AA 308 from Miami on 31 March, 2021 and tested positive on their day 8 test

·        1 resident who arrived on  Delta Airlines DL 584 from Atlanta on 8 April, 2021 and tested positive on their arrival test

·        3 residents who arrived on American Airline AA 2044 from Charlotte on 9 April, 2021 and tested positive on their arrival tests.

20 of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact as associated with known cases.

The additional 93 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.

There were 110 recoveries and two deaths, which we reported yesterday.

Bermuda has 1891 total confirmed positive cases. Their status is as follows:

·        There are 877 active cases, of which:

o   841 are under public health monitoring and

o   36 are in hospital with 6 in intensive care;

·        a total of 998 have recovered, and

·        the total deceased is 16.

The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is above 1 (1.07).

I will provide the vaccination statistics at Tuesday’s press conference.

Our mission in the Ministry of Health remains focused on providing accurate, timely information to the public about all measures in place that will help to stop the spread of the coronavirus.

We continue to see a high number of positive cases and now deaths. This is avoidable. As the Minister of Health, it is extremely frustrating to know that Bermuda is in a state of community spread because some people choose to ignore public health measures such as mask wearing and choose to hold or attend parties with large groups of people in contravention of the law.

We must work together to stop the spread of the coronavirus. I’m hearing stories of people who are unwell, leaving their homes to run errands or visit friends. Others who go to work with a cough. When these people get tested, they are found to be positive and, in turn, have already infected the people they have come in contact with. I urge everyone if you have a headache, stay at home. If you feel a muscle ache, stay at home.

The symptoms of the UK variant seem different from the symptoms we identified for the earlier strain of the coronavirus.

Symptoms of the UK variant tend to include cough, tiredness, headache, muscle ache and sore throat – which are easily confused with seasonal allergies. If you experience any of these symptoms please contact your doctor and make an appointment to get tested. Likewise, if you have been in contact with someone who has these symptoms, make an appointment to get tested.

The UK variant of the virus is also exceptionally contagious and the symptoms of the disease are deceptive. This means we must all pay very close attention to even the slightest change in our health status. For example, yesterday you weren’t coughing but today you are? Get tested!

Once you have been tested, you can expect to receive the results within 48 hours. Often results are sent in much less time. However, if you have not received your results, do not call the COVID-19 helpline or the Molecular Diagnostic Lab. Your first call should be to your doctor’s office who will give you the results and provide guidance on what you should do.

The lab is processing hundreds of tests a day so the key point is to be patient.

Given the enormous number of positive cases at this time, there are delays with respect to contact tracing. We are grateful for local doctors for assisting with the early notification of a positive result to their patients, and informing them of the need to start making a note of their close contacts. A reminder, though, if you are told you are a close contact, please quarantine immediately. Do not wait. The Ministry’s contact tracers will arrange for you to be tested but the most immediately helpful and necessary thing you can do is quarantine.

Each of us has a role to play in stopping the spread of the coronavirus. Follow Public Health guidelines, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, maintain physical distance and download the WeHealth Bermuda app. If you haven’t already done so, register to get vaccinated.

Thank you.