Covid: Isle of Man residents encouraged to wear face masks indoors

A total of 608 new cases have been recorded on the island during the past week

People on the Isle of Man are being encouraged to wear face masks while in crowded indoor venues as cases of coronavirus continue to rise.

The number of active cases on the island currently stands at 744.

Public health director Henrietta Ewart called for people follow the "basic steps" of maintaining good hygiene and wearing face coverings indoors.

The call comes as the island's death toll rose to 57 in the latest public health Covid-19 surveillance report.

About 600 new infections have been recorded in the past week alone and while a rise in new infections in children has slowed down, the number of adults contracting the virus has been steadily increasing.

Urging people to "use a face covering" and "keep your distance" when in enclosed or crowed spaces and practise good hygiene, Dr Ewart said there was understandable concern among the public due to the rise in case numbers.

"These basics steps, with which we have all become so familiar over the last year and half, continue to offer some of the best protection, helping to limit the spread of the virus and keep our island community safe," she said.

A government spokesman said the Council of Ministers was "continuing to closely monitor" the number of cases on the island.