Covid: Isle of Man schools to remain closed as surge continues

Schools were closed to all pupils on 5 March

Schools on the Isle of Man will remain closed next week, the education minister has said.

Educational settings were closed to all children including those of key workers a week ago after a surge in new Covid-19 cases.

About a third of the current 704 infections are in people aged 19 or under.

Alex Allinson said school provision for key workers' children would be provided "as soon as it is safe to do so".

Apologising for the disruption, Dr Allinson said work was continuing to enable a "phased reopening" when infection rates allowed.

Public health director Henrietta Ewart said as the virus spreads by people mixing it would only take one infected person at a hub school to transmit it to several households.

"So that's one reason for being very cautious about bringing together any disparate group into one centre, as in a hub," she added.

A total of 1,157 people have tested positive for the virus since the start of the pandemic, 26 of whom have died.