Covid-19: Isle of Man health boss warns virus 'may spread under radar'

People must "keep vigilant" as coronavirus could be spreading through the community "under the radar", Manx public health director has said.

Henrietta Ewart said not all "potential transmission chains" linked to two recent clusters had been "closed off".

Anyone who had attended sites visited by active cases should "self-monitor" for symptoms of the virus, she added.

The island entered its second lockdown on Thursday after a cluster of seven cases was detected on Tuesday.

An earlier cluster of two cases was identified on 31 December, though it was deemed to be a low risk to the wider community by authorities.

One venue, the Truth Wine & Tapas bar in Ramsey, was considered to be a “high risk location” and a further 19 venues were declared to be “low risk”.

Following the identification of the two clusters, more than 500 people have been tested and the majority have returned negative results with the most recent positive test from a returning resident in self-isolation.

Dr Ewart said the figures were “extremely reassuring” but the Covid-19 incubation period on both clusters had not passed and there was still a risk "it could be getting further out into the community under the radar”.

As a result, even those "who were nowhere near" the venues identified has been urged to "keep vigilant for the onset of any symptoms that could be Covid related".

There are currently 16 active cases on the island and six of those, including the most recently detected, have been recorded as a result of the new testing regime for returning residents.

Some 390 people have tested positive for coronavirus on the Isle of Man since March.

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