I’m joined by Assistant Police Commissioner Martin Weekes, and we wanted to have this briefing today because as we’ve seen in recent weeks and days, there’s been an increase in the numbers of COVID cases here in Bermuda.

As you can appreciate this is a concerning time for our community, particularly when we see the alarming trend overseas with an explosion in the rise of coronavirus cases.

And with the holidays fast approaching we know that there will be the desire for many residents to want to gather for the festive season.

But we must remain vigilant. 

Good Afternoon,

There were 929 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (7 December 2020), and 24 were positive for COVID-19. 

One of the new cases is classified as imported with details as follows:

• 1 resident who arrived on DL 617 from New York on 28 November 2020 and tested positive on their day 8 test, having had a negative pre-arrival test and a negative arrival test.

16 of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact/source with details as follows:

The following statement was issued this evening by Premier, the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP: “I must first thank everyone in the Ministry of Health for their outstanding work. They have worked long hours and weekends for many months now. As a country, we owe them our sincere appreciation.

“The Government is concerned about the increase in the number of confirmed cases of people with the coronavirus, that is the reason that we took the actions announced last night.

Good Day Members of the Media, 

There were 1458 test results received by the Ministry of Health over the weekend (5-6 December 2020), and eighteen were positive for COVID-19. 

Thirteen of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact/source with details as follows:

The Ministry of Health has confirmed a positive case of the COVID-19 virus at CedarBridge Academy. The Ministry of Education will now execute our new protocol when we are informed of a positive test result in a school and close the school until the Ministry of Health completes its risk assessment.

All students, teachers and staff of CedarBridge Academy are to be excluded from the school from Monday, 7th December, 2020 until further notice. Once further instructions are received from the Ministry of Health, we will provide an update.

Good Day Members of the Media, 

The Ministry of Health is advising that, as of today (December 5, 2020), bars and clubs are now required to close at midnight, rather than 2am as was previously permitted.

The BERMUDA PUBLIC HEALTH (COVID-19 EMERGENCY POWERS) (NO. 3) AMENDMENT (NO. 2) REGULATIONS 2020, which were published in the Official Gazette today, amend Regulation 5 to replace the time of “2am” to now read “midnight”.

Good Day Members of the Media, 

There were 1062 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (4 December 2020), and ten were positive for COVID-19. 

One of the new cases is classified as imported with details as follows:

• 1 resident who arrived on DL 617  from New York on 29 November 2020 and tested positive on their day 4 test, having had a negative pre-arrival test and a negative arrival test

Four of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact with details as follows:

There were 678 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (2 December 2020), and six were positive for COVID-19. 

One of the new cases is classified as imported with details as follows:

• 1 resident who arrived on DL 617  from New York on 2 December 2020 and tested positive on their arrival test, having not had a pre-test

Two of the new cases are classified as local transmission with known contact with details as follows:

Good Day Members of the Media, 

There were 682 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (2 December 2020), and five were positive for COVID-19. 

Two of the new cases are classified as imported with details as follows:

Good Day Members of the Media, 

There were 498 test results received by the Ministry of Health yesterday (1 December 2020), and five were positive for COVID-19. 

Two of the new cases (both asymptomatic) are classified as imported with details as follows: