Another 192 coronavirus cases were logged yesterday, pushing the total number of active infections to 613.

The number of patients in hospital went up to 28 – an increase of 18 since Tuesday – with five people in intensive care.

That is the highest number of people in hospital since April 28 when the last outbreak was beginning to wane. The peak of that outbreak took place on April 16 when there were 40 people in hospital and eight in the ICU.

Kim Wilson, the Minister of Health, warned that if the virus continues to spread at the current rate, the consequences would be “dire” and warned that another lockdown could not be ruled out.

Officials said 24 of the new cases were classed as on-island transmissions and 16 came in from overseas.

The rest – 152 – are under investigation by health ministry staff. A total of 351 active cases are under investigation.

The Department of Health said the positive results were among 6,074 tests carried out on Monday and Tuesday – a positivity rate of 3.2 per cent.

There have been 51 recoveries since the last update.

Ms Wilson said: “We know that the less mixing and movement there is in the community, the less the virus will spread.

“We would rather not increase restrictions as the reality is that Bermuda cannot afford to go back into lockdown.

“However, it depends on all of us taking responsibility for our own actions.

“I would encourage all persons for the next two weeks to minimise their movements and keep to their family bubbles.”

Ms Wilson said the majority of cases from overseas – 79 per cent – had been found in vaccinated patients.

But as has been the case since early in the onset of the outbreak, the reverse was true of on-island transmissions and cases under investigation, where 74 per cent of positive tests were from unvaccinated people.

Ms Wilson said: “The vaccine against Covid-19 is our best chance of protecting ourselves from serious illness and keeping our community safe.”

She added the US Food and Drug Administration had given full approval to the Pfizer vaccine and she said anyone who had not got the jabs to do so.

Ms Wilson said: “The more people vaccinated the better chance we stand at reducing the spread of this outbreak.

“At the risk of sounding like a broken record, everyone must follow all public health regulations and guidance and take measures to ensure that they protect themselves and their family from exposure to the coronavirus.”

She told the public: “Stay at least six feet away from people who don’t live with you. Masks must be worn indoors, except when eating or drinking. Wear a mask outdoors if physical distancing is not possible or if it is a crowded place.

“Do not touch your face or cough or sneeze in your hands. Sanitise your hands before touching shared utensils at family gatherings. Wash hands or use hand sanitiser thoroughly and frequently.”

The 24 overseas cases were:

• Three residents who arrived on the JetBlue flight from New York on September 7 and tested positive on arrival.

• A non-resident who arrived on the JetBlue flight from New York on September 4 and tested positive on their outbound test.

• One non-resident who arrived on the BA flight from London on September 3 and tested positive on Day 4.

• A non-resident who arrived on the Air Canada flight from Toronto on September 3 and tested positive on Day 4.

• One resident who arrived via Delta Air Lines from Atlanta on September 2 and tested positive on Day 4.

• A non-resident who arrived on Delta Air Lines from New York on August 29 and tested positive on their outbound test.

• One resident who arrived on the BA flight from London on August 29 and tested positive on the outbound test.

• Three residents who arrived on Delta Air Lines from Atlanta on August 28 and tested positive on Day 10.

• One resident who arrived on JetBlue from New York on August 28 and tested positive on Day 10.

• Two residents who arrived on American Airlines from Charlotte on August 28 and tested positive on Day 10.

• One resident who arrived on the BA flight from London on August 27 and tested positive on Day 10.