7 new COVID-19 cases reported in Bermuda
There were 715 test results received by the Ministry of Health since the last update and 7 were positive for COVID-19.
Four of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact/source as associated with known cases.The remaining new cases are classified as under investigation. These cases are among residents with no currently identified links to other known cases or history of travel in the past 14 days.
Additionally, since the last update, 9 cases have recovered.
Bermuda now has 602 total confirmed positive cases. Their status is as follows:
There are 162 active cases, of which -
158 are under public health monitoring and
4 are hospitalized with none in critical care;
a total of 430 have recovered, and
the total deceased remains at 10.
The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 43 years (median: 40 years) and the age range is less than 1 year to greater than 100 years.
The mean age of all currently active cases is 38 years (median: 36 years) and the age range is less than 5 years (age group: 1-4 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years)
To protect privacy and confidentiality, age information will not be provided on the hospitalized cases (where there is less than 5 hospitalized cases).
The mean age of all deceased cases is 75 years (median: 77 years) and the age range is 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:
157 are Imported
361 are classified as local transmission of which:
334 are Local transmission with known contact/source and
27 are Local transmission with an unknown contact/source
84 are Under Investigation
As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. Today’s update has 2 cases moving from under investigation to local transmission with known contact/source and 1 case moving from under investigation to local transmission with unknown contact/source.
The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is less than 1 (0.55) and Bermuda’s current country status is “Clusters of Cases”.
Minister of Health, Kim Wilson's remarks
With New Year’s Eve approaching, I want to remind everyone of the 11pm curfew, which will still be in place tomorrow night. For many of us, this will mean celebrating in a much different way this year. Some of you may choose to celebrate in your own home at midnight with those in your household… And some of you may even pick another time zone in which to celebrate if you wish to bring in 2021 with others…but, please, remember the rules – no gatherings of more than 10 people. Now is NOT the time to socialize in large groups with people from multiple households.
As I said last week, the Ministry’s contact tracing investigations strongly suggest that it is social mixing or gatherings of people that are most likely to produce local transmission and positive cases.
Remember that over the course of only one weekend in November, there were three gatherings of people at two venues that resulted in more than 80 people testing positive for COVID-19 and more than 550 being quarantined. One weekend.
We cannot be irresponsible about COVID-19 – a virus that is so easily transmissible. I would again urge you all to stop and think about your loved ones before you engage in any potentially risky health behaviours this New Year’s Eve… especially consider our elderly family members and the medically vulnerable. Our vulnerable populations require all the protection we can possibly give them by shielding them from this virus.
Also, can I just say, that if you live with a senior or medically vulnerable person in your home, and they stay in while you constantly come and go – mixing with lots of people outside of the home – you are NOT shielding them. Yes, they may be staying in, but you are bringing the outside world to them. Your actions are their actions. Your germs are their germs.
As I have said before, it’s so important for young adults to realize that even healthy people in their 20s and 30s can catch the coronavirus, spread it to others, and suffer from severe illness resulting in hospitalization, lasting health problems or even death.
Even if you don’t get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.
I want to remind members of the public about current visiting restrictions at the hospital which were put in place from Wednesday 23 December…
Long term care residents and isolation patients on any ward will no longer receive visitors, while acute and critical care patients will be able to have one designated person visit for one hour. The Gosling (Children’s) ward will allow limited visits by parents only, and Maternity Ward visiting will stay the same as before, with one designated support person able to attend the birth and visit once a day if the mother stays longer than 24 hours.
I now want to give a quick update regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine…
Preparations are currently underway for the receipt of the first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine in the New Year. This will include just over 9,000 doses. We are working to ensure that it is accessible to everyone who needs it first; among those to receive the first doses will be healthcare workers, essential workers, care home residents and the medically vulnerable.
The Ministry of Health has been closely monitoring the roll-out of the vaccine across the United Kingdom - noting, in particular, any side-effects experienced by recipients. The common side effects are flu like symptoms including fever, headache and body or muscle pain.
Questions about pre-existing conditions and allergies are asked prior to the vaccine being administered but on rare occasions it happens that a person might not be aware of the severe allergies they might have. Medical staff who administer the vaccine are equipped with the knowledge and equipment to observe and respond appropriately.
We are currently in the process of locating additional sites across Bermuda from which to administer the vaccine, although, in the first instance, a central vaccination facility is being planned. Rest homes will be serviced by a mobile team which administers the vaccine. It is key to note the vaccine will be available strictly by appointment only.
Before I close today, I wish to remind travellers that those returning to the island without a pre-arrival test will have an electronic monitoring bracelet fitted and pay $300 fee.
Additionally, a further reminder regrading travel - the Ministry has put in place additional quarantine restrictions for those travelling to Bermuda from the UK and those who have travelled in the UK in the past 14 days before coming to the island. Regardless of whether or not those UK travellers have a pre-arrival test, they will be required to quarantine in their accommodation for four days, and cannot be released from quarantine until they have a day 4 negative test result. This will provide an added layer of protection for all of us.
I will make a comment about quarantine, generally...
When the Ministry directs you to quarantine for a specific period, you are told the date that you will be booked for another test so that Public Health Officers can make a decision as to whether you are ready to be released from quarantine. For example, if the quarantine is for 14 days, you will be booked for a follow up test on day 14. However, we know some people are booking their own test on day 3 or 5 or 8 in the hope that a negative result will release them from quarantine more quickly. It won’t. There is no point booking your own test – or for an employer to demand that you do so – because the quarantine period is determined by the Ministry, and the decision to release someone from quarantine is made by the Ministry. It is also extremely irresponsible to move about the island, going to different test sites or your doctor’s office, when you could be positive for COVID-19. Stay put.
In closing, I would like to remind the public about the availability of the Community Mental Wellbeing Hotline – 543-1111. The line is open Monday to Saturday, 5-9pm.
Additionally, since the last update, 9 cases have recovered.
Bermuda now has 602 total confirmed positive cases. Their status is as follows:
There are 162 active cases, of which -
158 are under public health monitoring and
4 are hospitalized with none in critical care;
a total of 430 have recovered, and
the total deceased remains at 10.
The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 43 years (median: 40 years) and the age range is less than 1 year to greater than 100 years.
The mean age of all currently active cases is 38 years (median: 36 years) and the age range is less than 5 years (age group: 1-4 years) to greater than 80 years (age group: 80-100 years)
To protect privacy and confidentiality, age information will not be provided on the hospitalized cases (where there is less than 5 hospitalized cases).
The mean age of all deceased cases is 75 years (median: 77 years) and the age range is 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:
157 are Imported
361 are classified as local transmission of which:
334 are Local transmission with known contact/source and
27 are Local transmission with an unknown contact/source
84 are Under Investigation
As investigations proceed, transmission categories may change. Today’s update has 2 cases moving from under investigation to local transmission with known contact/source and 1 case moving from under investigation to local transmission with unknown contact/source.
The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is less than 1 (0.55) and Bermuda’s current country status is “Clusters of Cases”.
Minister of Health, Kim Wilson's remarks
With New Year’s Eve approaching, I want to remind everyone of the 11pm curfew, which will still be in place tomorrow night. For many of us, this will mean celebrating in a much different way this year. Some of you may choose to celebrate in your own home at midnight with those in your household… And some of you may even pick another time zone in which to celebrate if you wish to bring in 2021 with others…but, please, remember the rules – no gatherings of more than 10 people. Now is NOT the time to socialize in large groups with people from multiple households.
As I said last week, the Ministry’s contact tracing investigations strongly suggest that it is social mixing or gatherings of people that are most likely to produce local transmission and positive cases.
Remember that over the course of only one weekend in November, there were three gatherings of people at two venues that resulted in more than 80 people testing positive for COVID-19 and more than 550 being quarantined. One weekend.
We cannot be irresponsible about COVID-19 – a virus that is so easily transmissible. I would again urge you all to stop and think about your loved ones before you engage in any potentially risky health behaviours this New Year’s Eve… especially consider our elderly family members and the medically vulnerable. Our vulnerable populations require all the protection we can possibly give them by shielding them from this virus.
Also, can I just say, that if you live with a senior or medically vulnerable person in your home, and they stay in while you constantly come and go – mixing with lots of people outside of the home – you are NOT shielding them. Yes, they may be staying in, but you are bringing the outside world to them. Your actions are their actions. Your germs are their germs.
As I have said before, it’s so important for young adults to realize that even healthy people in their 20s and 30s can catch the coronavirus, spread it to others, and suffer from severe illness resulting in hospitalization, lasting health problems or even death.
Even if you don’t get sick, the choices you make about where you go could be the difference between life and death for someone else.
I want to remind members of the public about current visiting restrictions at the hospital which were put in place from Wednesday 23 December…
Long term care residents and isolation patients on any ward will no longer receive visitors, while acute and critical care patients will be able to have one designated person visit for one hour. The Gosling (Children’s) ward will allow limited visits by parents only, and Maternity Ward visiting will stay the same as before, with one designated support person able to attend the birth and visit once a day if the mother stays longer than 24 hours.
I now want to give a quick update regarding the COVID-19 Vaccine…
Preparations are currently underway for the receipt of the first shipment of the Pfizer vaccine in the New Year. This will include just over 9,000 doses. We are working to ensure that it is accessible to everyone who needs it first; among those to receive the first doses will be healthcare workers, essential workers, care home residents and the medically vulnerable.
The Ministry of Health has been closely monitoring the roll-out of the vaccine across the United Kingdom - noting, in particular, any side-effects experienced by recipients. The common side effects are flu like symptoms including fever, headache and body or muscle pain.
Questions about pre-existing conditions and allergies are asked prior to the vaccine being administered but on rare occasions it happens that a person might not be aware of the severe allergies they might have. Medical staff who administer the vaccine are equipped with the knowledge and equipment to observe and respond appropriately.
We are currently in the process of locating additional sites across Bermuda from which to administer the vaccine, although, in the first instance, a central vaccination facility is being planned. Rest homes will be serviced by a mobile team which administers the vaccine. It is key to note the vaccine will be available strictly by appointment only.
Before I close today, I wish to remind travellers that those returning to the island without a pre-arrival test will have an electronic monitoring bracelet fitted and pay $300 fee.
Additionally, a further reminder regrading travel - the Ministry has put in place additional quarantine restrictions for those travelling to Bermuda from the UK and those who have travelled in the UK in the past 14 days before coming to the island. Regardless of whether or not those UK travellers have a pre-arrival test, they will be required to quarantine in their accommodation for four days, and cannot be released from quarantine until they have a day 4 negative test result. This will provide an added layer of protection for all of us.
I will make a comment about quarantine, generally...
When the Ministry directs you to quarantine for a specific period, you are told the date that you will be booked for another test so that Public Health Officers can make a decision as to whether you are ready to be released from quarantine. For example, if the quarantine is for 14 days, you will be booked for a follow up test on day 14. However, we know some people are booking their own test on day 3 or 5 or 8 in the hope that a negative result will release them from quarantine more quickly. It won’t. There is no point booking your own test – or for an employer to demand that you do so – because the quarantine period is determined by the Ministry, and the decision to release someone from quarantine is made by the Ministry. It is also extremely irresponsible to move about the island, going to different test sites or your doctor’s office, when you could be positive for COVID-19. Stay put.
In closing, I would like to remind the public about the availability of the Community Mental Wellbeing Hotline – 543-1111. The line is open Monday to Saturday, 5-9pm.
