A total of 31 coronavirus cases were confirmed at the weekend and the number of patients in intensive care went up one to eight.

But the number of active infections dropped from 782 to 720.

The number of people in hospital remained at 31 with one more patient being moved to intensive care.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said the new cases were among 1,179 test results that came back to health officials on Friday – a 2.6 per cent positivity rate.

A total of 15 infections were classed as on-island transmissions from known contacts and the source of the other 16 is under investigation.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, said the fall in number of active infections was a good sign and that the number of recoveries outstripped the number of new cases.

Ms Wilson added: “This is good news, and an indication that Government regulations and guidelines are having a positive impact.

“I want to thank the many residents who are doing their part to help reduce the spread of the coronavirus on the island and keeping our community safe.”

She appealed to the public to stick to public health guidelines and avoid mixing households to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

The Department of Health has launched a programme that will feature a “drive-in” vaccination centre to boost vaccination numbers.

The programme will start in St George’s tomorrow with vaccinations offered at Penno’s Wharf between 10am and 2pm.

The drive-in vaccination centre will move to a still to be decided site in the central parishes next Thursday and to the western parishes on May 2.

A Ministry of Health spokeswoman said: “The drive-in venues are specifically for persons who have not yet registered for the Covid-19 vaccine, do not have access to the internet and prefer to register in person or have additional questions about the Covid-19 vaccine.

“Immunisations have been one of the most successful public health interventions to save lives, locally and globally.”

The Bermuda Red Cross and the Bermuda Taxi Owners/Operators Association gave free trips to Bermuda College vaccination centre at the weekend for anyone who needed transport.

The service was be offered between 9am and 1.30pm on Saturday and Sunday.

The Bermuda College vaccination centre took walk-ins at the weekend between 9am and 3pm.

Ms Wilson added that Bermuda would take part in the Pan American Health Organisation’s 19th annual Vaccination Week, to be held between from today to April 30.

A spokeswoman said the event – designed to raise awareness of vaccines – was recognised by more than 40 countries.

The spokeswoman added that Bermuda also will mark the progress made to reduce diseases such as measles and polio through vaccination.

The Government will also carry out an online survey on vaccine confidence and encourage the public to get the Covid-19 vaccine.

Bermuda has recorded 2,315 cases of the coronavirus since the pandemic hit in March last year.

There have been 23 deaths and 1,572 people have recovered.

The seven-day average of the island’s real-time reproduction number is 0.77 and Bermuda’s World Health Organisation country status remained at “community transmission”.