There were 7630 test results received by the Ministry of Health since the last update, and 25 were positive for COVID-19, giving a test positivity rate of 0.3%.

These results are from testing done on:

• Monday: 7 positive out of 2252 results (0.3% positivity)
• Tuesday: 10 positive out of 2701 results (0.4% positivity)
• Wednesday: 8 positive out of 2677 results (0.3% positivity)
• Seven of the new cases are classified as imported with details as follows:
  • 1 non-resident who arrived on Jet Blue B6203 from Boston on 2 August and tested positive on their arrival test
  • 1 resident who arrived on American Airlines AA 2044 from Charlotte on 2 August and tested positive on their arrival test
  • 3 residents who arrived on Delta Airline DL 617 from New York on 26 July and tested positive on their Day 8 test
  • 1 resident who arrived on British Airways BA 159 from London on 3 August and tested positive on their arrival test
  • 1 resident who arrived on Delta Airlines DL 584 from Atlanta on 31 July and tested positive on their Day 4 test
• 15 of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact as associated with known cases.
• The additional 3 new cases are classified as under investigation. These cases are among residents with no currently identified link to other known cases or history of travel in the past 14 days.

Additionally, there were 7 recoveries and 0 deaths.

There are currently 71 active cases, of which;

• 68 are under public health monitoring; and
• 3 are in the hospital with 1 in intensive care.

Since March 2020, Bermuda has recorded 2614 total confirmed cases of COVID-19; out of those, 2510 persons have recovered, and sadly, there were 33 COVID-related deaths.

The source of all cases is as follows:

• 373 are Imported
• 2228 are classified as Local Transmission of which:
  • 1733 are Local Transmission with known contact/source and
  • 495 are Local Transmission with an unknown contact/source
• 13 are Under Investigation
• For information regarding age distributions, please refer to https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-covid19-update

As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is less than 1. Bermuda’s current WHO country status remains “Sporadic Cases”.

90% of travellers to Bermuda are vaccinated, and of the 29 imported cases, 24 are fully vaccinated and 5 are not vaccinated, including children not eligible for vaccination. With respect to active cases which are Local Transmission or Under Investigation, 15 are fully vaccinated and 27 are not vaccinated, including those not eligible for vaccination.

By type, of the variants associated with active cases, 0 are Alpha, 2 are Beta, 61 are Delta, 0 are Gamma, 0 are wildtype, 6 are not able to be determined and for 2 the type is not available.

The Minister of Health, the Hon. Kim Wilson JP,MP stated, “The question has been asked many times by members of the public whether or not people who have been vaccinated can test positive for COVID-19. The answer is yes  and as has been stated several times in the past, if you have been immunized, the risk of you getting the disease is much lower but vaccinations don’t completely stop you from getting it. However, the COVID-19 vaccine does lessen the severity of the disease and its symptoms.

“A person who has been vaccinated can have the coronavirus but show no symptoms or have only mild symptoms of the disease, and that person might pass the virus on to family, friends and colleagues. The research on this is still underway. However there is strong evidence to suggest  that those who are immunised do have a lower viral load of the coronavirus and are far less likely to be hospitalized or, in the worst case, die from the Covid disease.

“Notwithstanding, because the science is not yet conclusive, and with the increase in the number of confirmed cases, it is important that everyone continues to follow the guidelines, if you are sick stay at home, wear a mask, practice good hand hygiene, maintain physical distance and download the WeHealth Bermuda app. If you haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccine, do the research, talk with your doctor and make an informed decision.”