Covid: Isle of Man 'must adapt to live' with virus as new cases identified

Both of the schools where pupils have tested positive are in Douglas

The Isle of Man must "adapt to live" with Covid-19, the health minister has said after seven new cases were reported on the island.

Four of the cases are due to community transmission or travel-related, while the three are "pending investigation", the government said.

It takes the total number of active cases on the island to 20.

Health Minister David Ashford said it was now a case of "when, not if" the virus will return to the island.

He said it was clear there was "some transmission of the virus in the community" and residents "must now adapt to live with the virus as part of our lives".

He said it meant "being less concerned with case numbers", but added that the vaccine rollout was "breaking the link between having the virus and being seriously ill".

On Wednesday, it was revealed that a teacher and two students at St Ninian's High School, a pupil at Cronk y Berry Primary School and another child had tested positive.

The island's border restrictions were relaxed on Monday to allow fully vaccinated people from the UK, Ireland and Channel Islands to visit without the need for testing or isolation.