Eighteen people have tested positive for Covid-19, out of 1,208 results since the Government’s last update, it was revealed tonight.

Two of the new cases were imported, from travellers who tested positive on arrival.

Both came on Delta flights from Atlanta on Monday, and both had negative pre-arrival tests.

Two other cases were local transmission with known contacts.

The other 14, among residents with no known links or travel history, are under investigation.

Five people have recovered from the illness since the update last night.

Bermuda now has 485 total confirmed positive cases, 221 of which are active, with 219 under public health monitoring.

Two are in hospital, with one in critical care.

A total of 255 have recovered, and the death toll remains at nine.

The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 44, and the age range is infant to 101 years.

The mean age of all active cases is 35 years, and the age range is infant to 77.

The average age of all deceased cases is 74, ranging from 57 to 91.

Out of all the island’s cases, 139 are imported; 246 are local transmission, with known contact; 21 are local transmission with an unknown contact, and 79 are under investigation.

The seven-day average of our real-time reproduction number is 1.85 and Bermuda’s current country status is “clusters of cases”.

Kim Wilson, the health minister, said the Quarantine (Covid-19) (No. 3) Amendment (No. 7) Order 2020 was gazetted today.

Starting on Friday, those arriving without a pre-arrival test will be subject to a fee of $300, to be assessed at the airport on arrival.

She said the ministry has received questions about when an employer can ask an employee to get tested, and if they can ask for Covid-19 test results from staff.

While the ministry is not in a position to provide legal advice to an employer, test results are considered personal health information.

As such, they can only be shared by an employee, if the employee wishes to do so. Ministry guidelines do not state that employees are required to provide a negative test to their employer to come to work.

When a confirmed case is identified, the contact tracing team and Environmental Health will conduct a risk assessment at the job site, including identifying and isolating those who have had direct contact with the confirmed case.

The team will also advise an organisation if they must close for deep cleaning, or if an adjustment to protocols is recommended.

Ms Wilson said some employers were opting to close their establishments without being notified by the Health team that they must do so.

She added: “We recognise it is an employer’s choice to do so but acknowledge, also, these decisions create hardships for many employees.

“In summary, I ask employers and employees, to follow public health guidance as each case, each circumstance, is different.

Ms Wilson also appealed for assistance in staffing nursing homes.

She added: “Since early on in this pandemic, our care homes have been working hard to keep our elders and vulnerable persons safe.

“Shielding requirements resulted in a restriction preventing staff from working at multiple homes. This vital intervention has remained in place; however, in part due to this, homes are struggling to find qualified staff. In particular, registered Nursing Associates and Registered Nurses are needed by many homes. We are trying to assist the homes in their ongoing search for staff. For this purpose:

1. If you are a registered Nursing Associate or Registered Nurse and have interest or experience in care home work, please e-mail your resume to covid19resumes@gov.bm. Your resume will be shared with care homes across the island looking for staff.

2. Covid19resumes@gov.bm also remains the location to send your resume for the government Covid-19 related staffing needs. Please note, anyone who sends a resume to this address, starting tomorrow, will have their resume forwarded to care homes, as appropriate. If you don’t want your resume forwarded to care homes you must state this when you e-mail it.

“We also ask family and friends of care home residents to work with the homes to find creative ways to maintain connection with their loved ones while visiting restrictions are in place.

“Please remember that the scheduling, frequency and type of visits possible are not only set by Government guidance and restrictions but also by the homes ability to accommodate such, which includes having sufficient staffing levels.”