The number of active Covid-19 cases has gone up slightly, health officials announced last night.

There were 217 active cases reported compared with 204 at the last update on Monday, when the island marked another death linked to Covid-19 – which brought the total number of fatalities over the pandemic to 123.

Hospital figures remained the same as Monday – five patients were being treated in King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, with none in intensive care.

There were 67 positive cases out of 7,351 test results from last Sunday to Tuesday.

There were 10 cases from overseas, 21 were logged as on-island transmissions and 45 are under investigation.

There have been 54 recoveries since Monday.

The increase in cases came as Kim Wilson, the health minister, warned this week that recent outbreaks of the coronavirus had happened in social settings.

This week also marked the first where children aged 5 to 11 began to get the jab.

A ministry spokeswoman said children could get the vaccine by their usual route.

Families that use a paediatrician should book at a private clinic and people who attend the Department of Health’s Hamilton Health Centre can make an appointment there.

A public health emergency is still in force after the Senate approved an extension to the end of March.

Ms Wilson said 72 per cent of the population had been given both doses of the vaccine, and 71.1 per cent of those eligible for the booster shot had taken it.

She reminded anyone eligible that the Pier 6 vaccination clinic in Hamilton would close on March 31.

The jab will be given through doctors’ offices from the end of March.

Ms Wilson said that the Government was also working to supply the vaccine through pharmacies.

She added that Pier 6 was accepting walk-ins as well as appointments and the clinic was open from 2pm to 6pm on weekdays and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays.

Ms Wilson said businesses could allow staff back to work.

But she encouraged the use of regular antigen testing in the workplace and highlighted that everyone should “know their status” for Covid-19.

She reminded places such as restaurants, bars, gyms and spas that the requirement to record contact tracing details remained in force.