Covid-19: Seven new cases identified on Isle of Man

People have been urged only to leave their homes for essential items

Seven new cases of Covid-19 have emerged on the Isle of Man.

Five of the latest positive results were linked to a person who had had a "significant number of high-risk contacts" during the New Year's Eve period before testing positive on Saturday evening, the government said.

The other two cases were close contacts of people who also tested positive last week.

No direct link to other recent clusters of cases has been found.

A total of 403 people on the island have tested positive since March and there have been 25 deaths, with 20 of those residents at Abbotswood Nursing Home. There are currently 27 active cases.

Director of public health Henrietta Ewart said a number of places had been identified as being visited by one of the new cases, and anyone who was at the locations at the same time should isolate if they developed symptoms.

The places of concern are:

• Paparazzi on Loch Promenade, Douglas, on 30 December between 17:30 and 18:30

• Upstairs circle of the Gaiety Theatre on Harris Promenade, Douglas, on 30 December between 19:00 and the end of the show

• Barbary Coast on North Quay, Douglas, on 1 January between 14:30 and 16:30

• Bay Hotel in Shore Road, Port Erin, on 2 January between 13:00 and 14:00

• Tesco in Lake Road, Douglas, on 3 January between 13:00 and 13:45

• Marks and Spencer in Drumgold Street, Douglas, on 5 January between 12:00 and 12:30

• The Entertainer in Strand Shopping Centre, Douglas, on 6 January between 12:30 and 12:50

• Boots in Strand Street, Douglas, on 6 January between 13:00 and 13:15

'Onward transmission'

Dr Ewart said although the current cases are likely to be linked to the previous clusters, health officials would "never know exactly what that chain of transmission was" due to the passage of time.

She said: "The focus now needs to be containing and closing onward transmission from the current cases and their contacts, and ensuring that we stop and contain any wider spread into the community."

More than 90 people identified as at-risk contacts of a Douglas Primary school pupil who contracted the virus have now tested negative.

Announcing the closure of garden centres and hardware stores to the public from 00:01 GMT on Thursday, Chief Minister Howard Quayle said it was now necessary to "turn the screws another notch and lockdown a little harder".

He also urged parents to only send their children to the island's hub schools if it was essential.

And he said the government could not rule out closing the borders "at short or no notice".

He added: "In short, if you leave, we cannot guarantee how easy it will be to return in the future."