Coronavirus: Police praise Manx people for staying at home

The number of accidents on the island's roads has fallen sharply during the pandemic

Police have praised people on the Isle of Man for staying off the roads during the coronavirus outbreak.

A combination of a ban on non-essential travel and a temporary 40mph national speed limit has led to a reduction in road accidents, said a police spokesman.

The measures were introduced to help stop the spread of the virus and reduce the burden on the emergency services.

Insp Gavin Callow said the message was "really sinking in".

Figures show there have been just two crashes on the island's roads since restrictions were introduced, compared to an average of up to two per day during the same period in previous years.

Insp Callow said: "The key message is we've got to save lives, we've got to stop the virus spread, we've got to protect the health service for that time when it's needed.

"Generally people on the island have been really good and it's really sinking in."

However, police would issue £250 on-the-spot fines to those breaking the rules in future "if we have to", he added.

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There are a total of 150 confirmed cases of coronavirus on the island with six patients currently receiving treatment at Noble's Hospital.

Seventy-three of those diagnosed with the virus have completed the required period of isolation and are now classed as "presumed recovered" by the health department.

One person has died from Covid-19.