Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 9,343 test results, and 330 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 3.5%.

These results are from testing done on:

• Tuesday: 71 positive out of 1428 results (5.0% positivity)
• Wednesday:  40 positive out of  1715 results (2.3% positivity)
• Thursday: 64 positive out of 1642 results (3.9% positivity)
• Friday: 24 positive out of 625 results (3.8% positivity)
• Saturday: 33 positive out of 882 results (3.7% positivity)
• Sunday: 52 positive out of 1331 results (3.9% positivity)
• Monday: 46 positive out of 1720 results (2.7% positivity)

Ninety-six (96) of the new cases are classified as imported with a history of travel in the previous 14 days.

The additional 234 new cases are classified as either local transmission (69) or under investigation (165).

Additionally, there were 257 recoveries.

There are 385 active cases, of which:

·372 are under public health monitoring; and

·13 are in hospital, with 1 in intensive care.

Since March 2020, Bermuda has recorded 15,085 coronavirus cases, out of which 14,562 have recovered, and sadly there have been 138 coronavirus-related deaths.

The source of all active cases is as follows:

·103 are Imported

·80 are classified as local transmission

·202 are Under Investigation

The source of all confirmed cases is as follows:

·       2,908 are Imported

·       11,535 are classified as local transmission of which:

o   5,183 are Local transmission with known contact/source and

o   6,352 are Local transmission with an unknown contact/source

·       642 are Under Investigation 

As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. For age distributions and overall transmission categories, please refer to https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-covid19-update. The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is 0.80.

For information regarding other conditions being reported to the Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit, please refer to https://www.gov.bm/health-information.

The Ministry is reminding residents about getting vaccinated and boosted. The current vaccination supply ends at the end of June.

The Department of Health typically provides around 24 shots per week, and those vaccination appointments have been booked already.

If persons wish to get vaccinated, they can also visit select pharmacies or select doctor’s offices. Ask your doctor’s office about COVID19 boosters. The following practices have informed us that they are providing COVID-19 booster vaccinations: Wee Care Pediatrics, Edgewood Pediatric Services, Omni Medical and Somers Medical Services Ltd.

Somerset Pharmacy is also administering the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Minister of Health, Kim Wilson also stressed the importance of testing status with students.

The Minister said, “I wish to reiterate an important reminder to parents who are using the Saliva Screening Programme for their school-age children. The Ministry notes that there are concerns that positive cases identified through the Saliva Screening Programme are not being reported to respective schools by their parents. 

“Parents and guardians should be reporting their child’s positive result to the school. This will allow schools to identify close and casual contacts to reduce the risk of transmission and illness. It should be noted that a child’s positive status will not be revealed to anyone other than the required school staff.”

Some key guidance for parents and guardians:

1. Follow all quarantine and contact tracing guidance from the Positive notification letter from Case management or via the government website: Quarantine & Contact Tracing | Government of Bermuda (www.gov.bm)
2. Ensure that the parent or guardian email associated with the Saliva Screening Programme is up-to-date and accurate.
3. Parents should check their child’s screening test result routinely and contact the Ministry of Education if they are concerned that they are not receiving required results.
4. Parents should not be sending their child to school if they have symptoms.
5. Household contacts of a positive case must be able to remain completely separated in order to be eligible for the Test-To-Stay Programme.

Finally, the Minister said, “The coronavirus continues to be very prevalent in our community. It’s easy to become complacent, but we must remain vigilant. If you are feeling unwell, please stay home. And if you test positive, please stay home.”