Minister of Health, the Hon. Kim Wilson, JP, MP today stated, “It is with extreme sadness that I report that over the weekend, Bermuda has experienced ten more coronavirus-related deaths. My heartfelt condolences and prayers are extended to the families and friends who lost a loved one over this weekend.”

Since the last update, the Ministry of Health received 6460 test results, and 163 were positive for the coronavirus, giving a test positivity rate of 2.5%.

These results are from testing done on:

• Thursday: 79 positive out of 2480 results (3.2% positivity)
• Friday: 51 positive out of 2487 results (2.1% positivity)
• Saturday: 33 positive out of 1493 results (2.2% positivity)

Five of the new cases are classified as imported with a history of travel in the previous 14 days.

The additional 158 new cases are classified as either local transmission or remain under investigation.

Additionally, since the last update, there have been 295 recoveries and ten deaths.

There are 1470 active cases, of which:

·         1404 are under public health monitoring and

·         66 are in hospital, with 10 in intensive care

Since the last public report on Friday:

·         There were 20 new COVID admissions in the hospital

·         There were 11 COVID discharges from the hospital

Since March 2020, Bermuda has recorded 5145 confirmed coronavirus cases, out of which 3613 have recovered, and sadly 62 COVID related deaths.

The source of all active cases is as follows:

• 66 are Imported
• 319 are classified as local transmission of which:
  • 319 are Local transmission with known contact/source and
  • 0 are Local transmission with an unknown contact/source
• 1085 are Under Investigation

Active cases by vaccination status, transmission, and type:

• Imported cases: 89% are fully vaccinated, and 11% are not vaccinated
• Local/Under Investigation cases: 23% are fully vaccinated, and 77% are not vaccinated
• Variant typing is not available at this time due to the prioritisation of test results.

The source of all confirmed cases is as follows:

• 592 are Imported
• 2977 are classified as local transmission of which:
  • 2393 are Local transmission with known contact/source and
  • 584 are Local transmission with an unknown contact/source
• 1085 are Under Investigation

As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. For information regarding age distributions and overall transmission categories, please refer to https://www.gov.bm/coronavirus-covid19-update.

The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is 0.81. Bermuda’s current country status is Clusters of Cases. However, local data continues to indicate that Bermuda meets the criteria for Community Transmission. Community transmission is characterised by an increased incidence of locally acquired, widely dispersed cases, with many cases not linked to specific clusters.

Minister Wilson emphasized, “We are finding that people are experiencing serious symptoms and waiting to go to the Hospital.  This can be too late and some people are dying at home. I urge everyone once you have tested positive, please consult your doctor. Get guidance from them, so if you need medical intervention, you can get it as soon as possible.

“Anyone who does not have a GP can call the Hospital and speak with a medical professional who will let them know what they should do given their symptoms, medications and any underlying conditions. The phone at KEMH is 239 2009. I urge everyone who has tested positive and is experiencing symptoms to contact a medical professional.”

“The Ministry of Health is receiving reports that people are trying home remedies they receive in WhatsApp chats and on social media posts,  to treat themselves once they start to experience COVID-19 symptoms. Likewise, members of the public are buying products that claim to cure COVID-19. These substances and home remedies do not work. They are potentially dangerous and should not be taken without consulting a qualified medical professional.”

Minister Wilson continued, “It is essential to remind the public that we each must do everything within our power to help stop the spread of the deadly Delta variant. I continue to hear stories of people who have symptoms going into the office, dashing off to the grocery store, leaving their homes to socialize. If you have symptoms, the message is simple, stay at home. Those who have not been vaccinated are urged to talk with a medical professional and make an informed decision about getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Current data shows that nearly 90% of the coronavirus related deaths in Bermuda are among persons who are not vaccinated. Reports also show that people who have been vaccinated and test positive for COVID-19 experience less severe symptoms and recover faster.

Minister Wilson concluded, “If you have questions contact a trusted medical professional.  We must each take personal responsibility, wear a mask, physically distance, wash and sanitize your hands regularly and stay at home if you are unwell. By following these Public Health measures we can help to reduce the number of people contracting the virus. We could be potentially saving lives.”