Covid-19 claims 34th victim as active cases rise to 205
Bermuda has recorded its 34th death from Covid-19 and the number of active coronavirus jumped to 205 over the weekend, the Ministry of Health announced last night.
The death - the first since May 21 - came as 79 new positive results for the coronavirus were logged from 10,128 test results.
The 205 active cases of Covid-19 was the highest number since May 12.
There are three people in hospital, but none in intensive care.
There have been 28 recoveries since the last update on Friday.
The island’s seven-day average of the real-time reproduction number is above 1.
The Government said that, although Bermuda’s current country status was listed as “sporadic cases”, figures indicated that Bermuda met the criteria for “community transmission”.
Kim Wilson, the health minister, said: “It saddens me that Bermuda has recorded another death of someone who was Covid positive.
“I extend my deepest sympathies to the bereaved family and friends.”
She told the family: “I am sorry for your loss, and my prayers are with you.”
Ms Wilson added: “The pandemic is far from over, and as we now find ourselves living with Covid-19, we all must do everything we can to reduce the transmission of this virus at all levels.”
She told the public: “If you have cold, flu or coronavirus symptoms, stay home and call your doctor or the Covid helpline, 444-2498, for advice about getting tested.”
A spokeswoman added that the Bermuda Advisory Council on Immunisation Practices was reviewing evidence on booster vaccinations against the coronavirus.
She said its advice would be presented to the Government “soon”.
The latest results bring, from Thursday through Sunday, yield a test positivity of 0.8 per cent, with 16 cases classified as “imported with history of travel in the previous 14 days”.
Another 36 cases are under investigation as they involved residents without known links to cases or a recent travel history.
The overseas cases showed 86 per cent of infections were found in fully vaccinated people and 14 per cent were reported to be unvaccinated.
A quarter of local cases or those under investigation involved fully vaccinated people and 75 per cent were said to be in non-vaccinated people.
The more virulent Delta strain of the virus made up 78 per cent of active cases.
Another 12 per cent could not be determined and variant data was not available for 10 per cent of the cases.
Of the total active cases in Bermuda, 41 came from overseas and 98 were classed as on-island transmissions with known contacts.
After 33 weeks of vaccinations, 85,415 doses of the jab have been administered.
That brought the full immunisation rate – those who have had both doses – to 65.4 per cent of the population.
More than 82 per cent of people aged over 65 are fully immunised.
The percentage of the population which has had one dose of vaccine is 66.7 per cent.
Ms Wilson highlighted that 62 per cent of all active cases on the island were in people not fully vaccinated – with transmission “spreading through households and workplaces and in social situations”.
She said: “The vaccine against Covid-19 is one of the single most important measures to keep our community safe.
“The vaccine prevents approximately 80 per cent of symptomatic infections and prevents approximately 96 per cent of hospitalisations and deaths. Vaccines also appear to reduce transmission.”
Parents were advised that if a non-immunised child travelled and returned home, parents should get tested on Days 4, 10 and 14.
Remote learning should be conducted, with no school or daycare, until a clear Day 10 test.
The spokeswoman said a Day 8 test was acceptable “until the school year's start, only for families with existing travel plans”.
A Day 8 test can be booked at the 444-249 hotline.
There will be a pop-up vaccine clinic at Lindo’s in Devonshire on Tuesday, September 7 from 10am to 2pm and on Thursday, September 16 from 3pm to 7pm.
The vaccine clinic at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is open for appointments and walk-ins on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4pm to 7pm, and on Saturdays from 8am to 4pm.
⋅ A visitor on British Airways from London on August 12 who tested positive on their outbound test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on Delta Airline from New York on August 14 and tested positive on their day 14 test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on British Airways from London on August 15 and tested positive on their day 14 test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on JetBlue from New York on August 16 and tested positive on their day 10 test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on United Airlines from Newark on August 22 and tested positive on their day 4 test;
⋅ A visitor who arrived on JetBlue from Boston on August 23 and tested positive on their outbound test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on American Airlines from Charlotte on August 23 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A resident and two visitors who arrived on British Airways from London on August 26 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A visitor who arrived on United Airlines from Newark on August 27 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on JetBlue from New York on August 28 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on American Airlines from Miami on August 28 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A resident who arrived on United Airlines from Newark on August 29 and tested positive on their arrival test;
⋅ A resident and one visitor who arrived on American Airlines from Charlotte on August 29 and tested positive on their arrival test.
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