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

The island's second lockdown came into force after two clusters of cases were identified

Four new cases of Covid-19 have been identified on the Isle of Man.

Two of the positive tests were people who were isolating after returning to the island from abroad and two were close contacts of another positive case, the government said.

There are currently 53 known active cases of Covid-19 on the island.

Public Health director Henrietta Ewart said a lack of "sporadic" cases was a "reason to be cautiously optimistic" but the island could not yet relax.

She added that there would need to be 28 days without a community case before authorities could be sure the virus had been eradicated.

The Isle of Man entered a three-week circuit breaker lockdown on 7 January following a sharp rise in cases.

Sunday saw the biggest daily increase in 2021, with nine positive tests.

Boarding school King William’s College has confirmed that seven of its 26 international pupils, who returned to the island for the new term on 4 January, were among those nine cases.

The students, aged 16 and 17, tested positive on day 13 of their isolation period.

A spokesman said the pupils were asymptomatic and "in good spirits".

He added that the school was working with public health to "ensure there is no risk to the wider community".

A total of 432 people have tested positive for the virus on the island since March, 25 of whom died.