Active cases of Covid-19 have continued to climb, up to 1,953 from the 1,882 announced five days ago.

There are now 13 people in hospital with the coronavirus, two of them in intensive care, as well as a new record for active infections.

There were ten people in hospital and one being treated in the ICU at the last update.

The figures were released as health officials recorded 603 new cases out of 6,035 tests for the virus carried out from last Tuesday to Thursday – a positivity rate of ten per cent.

Bermuda’s total confirmed cases during the pandemic now exceeds 9,000.

Information on active cases by vaccination status, transmission, and type was not available.

But recent figures have shown the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has dominated the fifth outbreak on the island, which has now surpassed the surge last September that peaked at 1,612 active cases.

Case numbers have also climbed more quickly than they did during the island’s fourth wave, which was driven by the Delta variant.

A total of 543 of the active cases came from overseas, and 148 were classed as on-island transmissions.

The bulk of active cases – 1,262 – were listed under investigation.

The seven-day average of the island’s real-time reproduction number is 0.85.

Booster appointments can be made at the government website or through the vaccination hotline at 444-2498 and option two.

The public can also e-mail vaccine@gov.bm.

People aged 65 and older can walk into Pier 6 on Front Street for a booster from Monday to Friday.

Kim Wilson, the health minister, warned that the virus “thrives on human contact”.

She told the public: “Getting vaccinated and following public health guidance is the best defence against the disease caused by this virus.

“If you have not yet been vaccinated, please speak to your doctor.

“Continue to wear a mask, wash your hands, keep physically distanced from others not in your household and add antigen tests to your pandemic toolbox.”