[Updated] Two positive COVID-19 results were detected during arrival testing of passengers from yesterday’s Delta flight from Atlanta, with both of the individuals who tested positive being residents of Bermuda.
A Government spokesperson said, “The Ministry of Health can report that two positive COVID-19 results were detected during arrival testing of passengers from yesterday’s Delta flight.”
The Minister of Health Kim Wilson said, “Although this is disappointing news, it is a testament to our stringent testing regime that we were able to identify these individuals early and move to quarantine all passengers with public health monitoring.
“Strict quarantine is essential in this case as the risk of exposure has been identified. Our main priority is ensuring that cases of COVID-19 are isolated from the community and that it does not spread to our domestic population.”
“There were 47 passengers on this flight, all of whom had Travel Authorizations and 29 had pre-departure tests. Out of the 29 individuals who took a pre-departure test, 19 were visitors and 10 were residents. All but 3 passengers [44] were tested for COVID-19 upon arrival. Two passengers did not require testing as they were under the age of 10 and the other was a minor who will quarantine instead of testing.”
“Both of the individuals who tested positive are residents of Bermuda. Residents are not required to undergo a pre-departure test however one of the travelers had a pre-departure test which was negative for COVID-19.”
The Delta airlines flight — the first commercial flight from the United States since March — landed at the LF Wade International Airport yesterday [July 6], marking the second commercial flight to land in Bermuda since the airport fully re-opened earlier this month.
The first commercial flight this month, an Air Canada, landed on July 2nd, and this month’s flight schedule includes once a week Air Canada flights on Thursdays, daily Delta flights from Atlanta effective today, and twice a week flights from British Airways effective July 17.
From late March to July 2nd there were no commercial passenger flights to the island, however, cargo, charter and private planes were arriving.
Update 5.10pm: A Government spokesperson said, “Today there were 181 test results received by the Ministry of Health, and two were positive for COVID-19. Both cases were imported [returning residents].
“Bermuda has 148 total confirmed positive cases. Their status is as follows:
- there are 2 active cases, of which
- 2 people are under active public health monitoring,
- none are hospitalized
- a total of 137 have recovered, and
- the total deceased remains 9.
“The average age of all of our confirmed positive cases is 60 and the age range of all of our positive cases is from 18 to 101 years.
“The average age of all deceased cases is 74 and the age range is 57 to 91 years.
“The source of all local cases is as follows:
- 44 are Imported
- 85 are Local transmission, with known contact
- 16 are Local transmission with an unknown contact, and
- 3 are under investigation
“Bermuda’s country status is ‘Local Transmission – Sporadic Cases’.”
The Minister of Health Kim Wilson said, “I want to reiterate the importance of mask-wearing and physical distancing. COVID-19 has not gone away; as today’s two imported cases prove. With our low COVID numbers, it’s perhaps easy to forget that we are living in the midst of a pandemic; but the reality is that we are and we need to take the same precautions we always have to protect ourselves and our community. Now is not the time to let our guard down.”
