Bermuda has recorded a new case of coronavirus in a resident who arrived from London last Thursday and was found positive on their Day 4 test.

The traveller was in quarantine under the revised restrictions for travellers from Britain, which require them to stay in their accommodation until getting a negative Day 4 test.

The latest case was the only positive in 712 test results yesterday. There are now 29 active cases, with 24 under public health monitoring.

The news came as Kim Wilson, the health minister, revealed that ten samples from the island had been sent to the Caribbean Public Health Agency for genetic sequencing for the virus.

The procedure, which takes about three weeks through CARPHA, identifies different strains of the novel coronavirus.

Ms Wilson said Bermuda would be sending the agency ten samples a month.

Genetic sequencing on the island is “soon to be commenced” at the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, she added.

Two people have recovered from the illness since the last update.

Five are in hospital with none in critical care.

The island has recorded 689 cases of Covid-19, with 648 recoveries and 12 deaths,

Out of the total, 199 are classed as imported and 482 as local transmission.

Of the local cases, 397 have known contacts, 85 have unknown contacts, and eight are under investigation.

One case has moved from being under investigation to local transmission with known contact.

The seven-day average of the island’s real-time reproduction number is 0.20 and Bermuda’s country status remains “sporadic cases”.

Ms Wilson said she had been asked on Tuesday about a physician removing his traveller wristband.

She had said the wristband rules had a special “carve out” for certain essential job categories.

Ms Wilson also confirmed that hospital staff quarantined for eight days before returning to work after travel.

She added: “After that, yes, a surgeon who needs to scrub, for example, is permitted to remove the wristband as it is unhygienic.”

Ms Wilson admitted there had been some people eligible for the coronavirus vaccine under Phase 1A who completed the online registration form between January 11 and 13, but who had not yet been given a vaccination appointment.

Ms Wilson was asked in a press conference on Tuesday about a couple who had called to register on January 11 who had not been contacted for an appointment.

She apologised, and asked for anyone left off to e-mail vaccine@gov.bm, or call the hotline at 444-2498, selecting option 2, to give their details and get an appointment “as soon as possible”.

But she said the hotline dealt with a large number of calls, and that requests could be handled more quickly by e-mail.