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COVID-19

MINISTRY OF HEALTH COVID-19 UPDATE MARCH 19 2021

COVID-19 Daily Release 19 March 2021

Friday, March 19th, 2021

Good day.

The Ministry of Health received 758 test results since the last update, and six (6) were positive for COVID-19. All six (6) of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact as they are associated with known cases.

Additionally, since the last update, there were two (2) recoveries.

There are currently 52 active cases, of which;

  • All 52 are under public health monitoring and;
  • None are in the hospital.

Since March 2020, Bermuda has recorded 773 total confirmed cases of COVID-19; out of those, 709 persons have recovered, and 12 persons have sadly succumbed to COVID-19.

The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 42 years (median: 40 years), and the ages range from less than one (1) year to greater than 100 years.

The mean age of all currently active cases is 28 years (median: 26 years), and the ages range from less than 10 years (age group: 0-9 years) to greater than 70 years (age group: 70-79 years).

The mean age of all deceased cases is 75 years (median: 77 years), and the ages range from less than 60 years (age group: 50-59 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years).

The source of all cases is as follows:

  • 222 are imported
  • 545 are classified as local transmission of which:
  • 453 are local transmission with known contact/source and
  • 92 are local transmission with an unknown contact/source
  • 6 are under Investigation

As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change.

Of the over 180,000 test results reported, the mean age of all persons tested is 43 years (median:  42 years), and the ages range from less than one (1) year to greater than 100 years.

The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is above one (1), and Bermuda’s current country status remains “Sporadic Cases”.

“We see an uptick in positive cases, and the Ministry of Health is working diligently, following a well thought out plan, to combat the outbreak,” said the Minister of Health, Kim Wilson, JP, MP.

“This includes contact tracing. If the Ministry of Health contact tracing team has not contacted you, please do not rely on rumour or social media to determine your next steps. The Ministry of Health will contact you only if you have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 positive person and need further instructions to quarantine or get tested.”

“Persons who are contacted by our contact tracers should please be honest with information as it pertains to your close contacts. We need this to be able to trace the potential spread as you may save a life.”

”As a reminder, COVID-19 symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19: Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. These symptoms can be confused with the flu or even seasonal allergies. However, I can confirm the incidence of flu in Bermuda this year remains at zero. Anyone with fevers and respiratory symptoms must assume that they have COVID-19 disease. Do not go to work or send your child to school if either of you have any of these symptoms. To do so simply increases the chance of the disease spreading, and this has a negative impact on us all.”

“If you are experiencing symptoms, please contact your doctor. Your doctor will schedule you or direct you to the COVID-19 helpline at 444-2498 for symptomatic testing appointment slots.”

“I continue to urge everyone to wear their masks, wash their hands, avoid closed spaces, crowded places and close contact settings.”

Following the receipt of testing results from Friday’s testing, the Cabinet will convene tomorrow morning to consider the current outbreak and to decide whether any further action is necessary to mitigate the current outbreak to ensure that Bermuda’s vaccination programme can continue unabated.

There will be a release on Saturday afternoon with further testing results and the announcement of any decisions made by the Cabinet.