Good Afternoon,
Today there were 273 test results received by the Ministry of Health; and none were positive for COVID-19.
Bermuda has 146 total confirmed positive cases. As of today we have only two actives case in Bermuda, of which one is currently hospitalized but not in critical care.
- A total of 135 have recovered, and
- the total deceased remains 9.
The average age of all of our confirmed positive cases is 60 and the age range of all of our positive cases is from 18 to 101 years.
The source of all local cases is as follows:
- 42 are Imported
- 85 are Local transmission, with known contact
- 16 are Local transmission with an unknown contact, and
- 3 are under investigation
Bermuda’s country status is “Local Transmission – Sporadic Cases”. The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is below 1.
There are now over 9,000 persons registered on HealthIQ. Well done, Bermuda. Keep it coming as we are nearly at the 10,000 target to get a green light on our indicators.
We have been receiving a lot of questions regarding the saliva tests. These have arrived on island but will not be ready for use just yet as they need to go through the regular validation process which requires testing with positive samples. Because we have only two positive cases on island currently, we can’t complete the validation process. However, once this is done, we will be able to use it as part of our screening programmes.
As you all know, today we received the first commercial flight from Toronto. Thanks to an incredible team of professionals from multiple Government departments and agencies, we were well prepared and successfully landed and health screened all arriving passengers.
We set up the new system very fast and we are aware that there were some technical glitches with the online portal to apply for Travel Authorizations. Nevertheless, we are working through those and, importantly, we were able to capture the information we needed.
It disappointed me greatly to learn that at least one passenger from the flight took it upon themselves to breach the obligatory quarantine and visited a local restaurant after getting off the flight. Luckily the individuals were identified and public health and enforcement officials are pursuing the matter now.
With our borders now open once again to commercial flights, I want to stress that this is NOT an indication that we have won the battle against COVID-19, or that we can now relax our protective measures. In fact, it’s quite the contrary. As I have said before, with more freedom, comes more responsibility.
The measures that will keep us safe seem so simple, it can be hard to believe how important they are. But they are our best protection.
Please wash your hands frequently, use hand sanitizer before and after entering any store or public building, shield our medically vulnerable, and continue to wear your mask and keep six feet apart if you are not wearing one.
We have put in place stringent measures for incoming travellers and to ensure we can identify any COVID cases early and isolate immediately. However, with open borders comes the potential to import COVID-19, so we must be diligent in our preventive measures at all times – even more than we have been until now.
With less legal restrictions on our activities, we must still place personal restrictions on our activities. For our mental and physical health it’s important to be active and social, but we must be clear on the risks involved. To help with this, an activity guide has been posted on the Government website today which details some activities on the high and low risk scale.
For example, low risk activities include walking or biking outdoors, which can be with friends if you stay 6 feet apart. Another low-risk activity is dining outdoors, provided that tables are 6 feet apart and diners avoid high-touch items like menus.
Low to medium risk activities include picnicking outside with friends, so long as you keep 6 feet from others, keep groups small, wear masks, and don’t share food or utensils.
Going to the beach and swimming in a pool also fall into this category so long as you physical distance from others, avoid locker rooms, and spend most of your time in motion.
Medium risk activities include a children’s playdate outside, so long as you keep groups small, don’t share food and wear masks.
Conversely, activities that are Medium to high risk include socializing outside with a large group. The more people, the more likely you may be exposed. You should physical distance and wear masks.
Going to the gym is also a medium to high risk activity, but there are many things you can and should do to minimize the risk, which are listed on the guidance note for gyms at coronavirus.gov.bm.
High risk activities include visiting elderly parents or friends who are high-risk for COVID-19. Avoid physical contact with them and meet outside if possible. Don't visit them if you have symptoms, have been exposed, or might be sick.
This is also not a great time to be dating new people. Outdoor, physically-distanced dates are relatively safe, but avoid close physical contact.
Very high risk activities include attending a big party indoors or being in a large gathering or dense crowds. Avoid these at all costs, unless strictly necessary.
It is more important than ever that we each play our part in keeping our community safe. It’s not by luck that we have avoided community spread so far; it is through our hard work and diligent efforts to follow Government guidelines and directions.
Before closing I want to comment briefly on the latest news that have created a lot of chatter about the island’s health system.
By now the majority of Bermuda would have heard of the merger that took place between Argus Insurance and the two medical practices, Island Health Services and the Family Practice Group. This merger within the private sector took place privately and without Ministry of Health or Bermuda Health Council knowledge or involvement – this is not unlawful, as the law currently stands. Nevertheless, it is an important development in our small health system and so it merits comment.
You would be aware that as a result of this pandemic, much of our worst fears and anxieties about our health system have become a reality. We have businesses that cannot afford health insurance, workers who are unemployed and now uninsured, families who are going without treatment, medications that are out of the reach of seniors. Argus and the medical practices took it upon themselves to try to smooth out some of these rough spots for their specific clients by investing in one another. Though that may be of benefit for their piece of the pie, its impact on the overall health system needs to be considered.
We will continue to pursue a better health system that works for everyone, in good times and bad, and will work with all individuals, businesses, and all sectors to make that a reality. Universal health coverage remains this Government’s goal. We will not squander the lessons that COVID-19 has taught us: that we are much better as a country when we do things in a unified manner and will not neglect what we have lived each day for the last 4 months, which has highlighted the importance of putting the health of our residents first and foremost.
Thank you and stay safe, Bermuda.