The island’s Covid-19 death toll hit double figures over the Christmas holiday after a senior died.

The death last Saturday was the tenth related to coronavirus infection.

Health officials also announced that 20 new coronavirus infections had been discovered in 2,460 tests that came back to health officials at the weekend.

Kim Wilson, the health minister said: "The loss of another Bermudian's life to Covid-19 will come as devastating news to our entire community, and our hearts go out to the loved ones of the deceased during this extremely difficult time.”

Ms Wilson added: “Christmas is supposed to be an occasion for joy, for family and for hope – something which makes news of this loss all the more hard to bear."

The latest death – one of the people who had been in hospital earlier – was the first linked to Covid-19 since May.

The Ministry said it would not release any personal information about the patient, but it is understood the victim was in their 80s.

The 20 new cases confirmed over the weekend included a resident who arrived on the BA flight from London on Wednesday.

Another was non-resident off the Delta flight from Atlanta on the same day.

One was a non-resident who arrived on the BA flight on December 17.

A total of 13 of the new cases are classed as on-island transmission with a known contact or linked to known cases or clusters.

The remaining four new cases, all among people with no known links to identified cases or recent overseas travel, are under investigation.

The Ministry of Health said last night it continued to monitor statistics which would “assist us in determining whether additional measures should be put in place”.

A spokeswoman added: “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.”

A total of 56 people have recovered from infection since the pre-Christmas update.

The new cases meant that Bermuda has a total of 581 cases including 177 active cases – 172 of them being monitored by health officials.

Five patients are in hospital, but none are in critical care.

The number of people who have recovered from infection stands at 394.

The mean age of all confirmed positive cases is 43 – median age 40 – and the age range is from less than 1 year old to more than 100.

The mean age of active cases is 39 with a median age of 36.

The age range is from less than 5 to more than 80.

The mean age of all cases in hospital is 59, with a median age of 54.

The mean age for fatalities is 75 years, with a median age of 77 years and the age range is from under 60 to more than 80.

There are 348 cases classed as local transmission, 322 of them with a known contact and 26 with no known contact.

A total of 151 cases are listed as coming in from overseas.

There are 82 cases under investigation.

Health officials said the categories may change depending on the result of investigations.

The weekend update moved two cases from under investigation to on-island transmission with a known contact and four cases changed from under investigation to on-island transmission with an unknown contact.

The seven-day average of the real-time reproduction number is 0.56 and Bermuda’s country status remained at “clusters of cases”.

Ms Wilson said: "I am urging the entire island to please not underestimate the ferocity of this virus. It doesn't care who you are – young, old, black, white, rich, or poor.

“All of us should see this virus for the threat that it is and act to protect ourselves and our community.

She told the public: “Do not think that because you are young, you are invincible – you are not.

“Do not gather in groups greater than ten, do not visit vulnerable persons outside of your household – particularly if you have recently returned from travel abroad.”

Ms Wilson added that people should continue to wear masks when spending time with anyone outside their own household and stick to social distancing and the 11pm curfew.