Good Afternoon,
From Sunday and Monday, 1692 test results were received by the Ministry of Health, and three were positive for COVID-19.
The most recent cases, which are classified as ‘imported’, are among visitors who received their positive test results on their Day 4 tests. One visitor arrived on DL 584 from Atlanta on 14 October 2020. The two other visitors arrived on BA 2233 from London on 14 October 2020. All cases are asymptomatic. Case isolation and contact tracing has begun.
Bermuda now has 188 total confirmed positive cases with status as follows:
- 5 active cases, who are
- all under public health monitoring, and
- none are hospitalized or in critical care;
- a total of 174 have recovered, and
- the total deceased remains 9.
The average age of all of our confirmed positive cases is 56 and the age range of all of our positive cases is from 9 to 101 years.
Overall, 49% of cases were Black, 42% White and 9% other/unknown.
The average age of all deceased cases is 74 and the age range is 57 to 91 years.
The source of all local cases is as follows:
- 77 are Imported
- 90 are Local transmission, with known contact
- 21 are Local transmission with an unknown contact, and
- none are under investigation
Bermuda’s country status is “Sporadic Cases”. The seven-day average of our real time reproduction number is less than 1.
I would like to thank everyone who has come out so far for the Department of Health’s Flu Express. The turnout has been tremendous; so much so that we have had to relocate some of the locations to accommodate more people. It is fantastic to see so many people taking charge of their health and, through that, the health of our entire community.
The remaining October Flu Express days and locations are as follows:
- At Pennos Wharf, St. George’s on Wednesday 21st October from 10am until 2pm.
- And at the Clock Tower, Dockyard on Wednesday 28th October from 10am until 2pm.
During the month of November the flu vaccine will be available at the Hamilton Health Centre in an outdoor setting using a pop up tent from 2pm until 4pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Priority persons who should attend the “Flu Express” are:
- Healthcare workers, caregivers and essential service workers;
- Persons aged 65 years and older;
- Any person with chronic medical conditions who is at risk of complications from the flu, e.g. diabetics, asthmatics and those with heart disease;
- And children.
The flu vaccine is a safe and highly effective method of preventing most cases of flu.
Today, as Halloween gets closer, I want to reiterate some of the guidance I have already provided in terms of how to celebrate safely, which is based on CDC recommendations.
Some low-risk activities which you can do safely this year include:
- Carving or decorating pumpkins with members of your household;
- Decorating your house;
- A virtual Halloween costume contest;
- A Halloween movie night with people you live with;
- And a trick-or-treat hunt with your household members in or around your own home.
Meanwhile, moderate-risk activities which you should do only if you can do them safely are:
- One-way trick-or-treating where individually-wrapped goodie bags are lined up for families to grab and go - such as at the end of a driveway. (Note that you should wash your hands before preparing goodie bags);
- A small outdoor costume parade where people are distanced more than 6 feet apart;
- A costume party held outdoors where masks are used (costume masks do not count) and people can remain more than 6 feet apart;
- Visiting pumpkin patches where the use of hand sanitizer, mask-wearing and physical distancing is enforced;
- And having an outdoor Halloween movie night with local family friends with people spaced at least 6 feet apart.
And, finally, high-risk activities that you should definitely NOT do this year are as follows:
- Traditional trick-or-treating where treats are handed to children who go door to door;
- Crowded costume parties held indoors;
- Going to an indoor haunted house where people may be crowded together and shouting or screaming; and
- any activity congregating densely with people who are not in your household.
This guidance can be found at coronavirus.gov.bm
We are expecting more visitors to our shores over the next few weeks so I would like to remind potential travellers about some of the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ they should follow in the period between when travellers are released from quarantine and their day 14 test results:
- DO NOT attend events with large groups of people (e.g. weddings, parties, family gatherings);
- Wash your hands regularly;
- Stay six feet from others;
- DO NOT hug or kiss;
- Keep social bubble small if at all;
- Keep away from crowded places;
- Stay out of closed spaces with poor ventilation;
- Exercise outside;
- Choose activities that are outdoors;
- Wear a mask in all public places;
- And protect babies, seniors/persons with chronic conditions by staying outside, wear masks and keep six feet away.
I want to end by reminding us all to avoid the 3 Cs: closed spaces, crowded spaces and close-contact settings.
In closing, I just want to give a shout-out to the organizers of the Bermuda End-to-End for re-jigging their annual event this year to ensure it is COVID-19 safe.
The event, to be held this Saturday after a five-month postponement due to the pandemic, will follow all current COVID-19 recommendations including mask wearing at waterstops, frequent use of hand sanitizer and physical distancing.
Also, participants can start anywhere along the route that is convenient to ensure there are no large groups of people bunched together along the walk.
The event will be used to raise cash for four charities – the Bermuda Zoological Society, Vision Bermuda, the Garden Club of Bermuda and The Family Centre.
I urge everyone to come out and join in the fun and help raise much needed funds for our selected Bermuda charities.
Stay safe, Bermuda, and, remember, I wear a mask to protect you; you wear a mask to protect me.