The government of Bermuda has announced that all schools will start the new term with remote learning from next Monday until at least April 23, after the island recorded 28 new positive cases of COVID-19.
Six people were in intensive care in hospital on Tuesday night. Two died at the weekend, taking the island’s death toll to 14 since March last year.
Minister of Health Kim Wilson said the island’s active cases stood at 670, with 21 now in hospital, down from 22.
Premier David Burt said the government was working on a solution for working parents who would now have to care for their children at home during online classes.
Government House announced all of its staff are now working remotely because of the latest surge in cases, which now total 1,497 since the pandemic began.
Six travellers were among the latest cases, including four residents from a March 31 Miami flight, found positive on their day four test.
Another resident came from Miami on March 21, testing positive on day 14.
A visitor on a March 27 Atlanta flight tested positive on their day eight test.
Nine other cases were traced to local transmission from known sources and 13 are under investigation. Fourteen people recovered on Tuesday.
The average age of all active cases is 41 and the age range is from under 10 to over 80, while the average age of those in hospital is 60 with the youngest person between 21 and 30 and the oldest over 80.
Premier David Burt said his Cabinet planned to review possible incentives to boost vaccination rates.
He said financial incentives had been suggested, while potential privileges for getting the jab would get examined for their legal basis.
But Burt cautioned: “This is not something we are going into quickly. We’re going to assess this.”
Minister Wilson added that vaccination rates last week rose to about 840 a day, with 27 percent of residents now fully immunized.
CMC
