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Covid-19: New cases 'indicate community spread' on Isle of Man

BBC Coronavirus sign at Noble's HospitalBBC
There are 20 active cases of the virus on the island, eight are returning residents in isolation

Two new cases of Covid-19 "indicate" the virus has spread "into the wider community" on the Isle of Man, the chief minister has said.

The latest positive results, which include a Douglas primary school pupil, were confirmed on Friday night.

Howard Quayle said the virus had now "spread beyond the immediate contacts of the previous cases".

It was still likely the latest cases were linked to two recent clusters and that "may yet" be confirmed, he added.

A second lockdown was implemented on the island on Thursday after the identification of a new cluster of cases on Tuesday.

It was the second travel-related cluster identified in recent days. The other emerged on New Year's Eve.

The contact tracing process for both new cases is ongoing, but no direct link to those clusters has been found so far.

Mr Quayle said: "Regardless of whether we do identify the link, these cases indicate that the virus has spread beyond the immediate contacts of the previous cases into the wider community."

DAVE KNEALE Aerial view of the Isle of ManDAVE KNEALE
A total of 394 people have tested positive on the island since March

The first positive result was found in a pupil from St Mary's Primary School in Douglas and was picked up during a routine screening test ahead of a medical procedure.

All other students and staff at the school have been asked to isolate with their families as a precaution while close contacts of the child, who attended lessons on Tuesday and Wednesday, are identified.

Those from the school identified as at-risk will be contacted by the government on Saturday, and those who are not will be free to leave isolation on Sunday.

Education Minister Alex Allinson reassured parents of children attending the education hub at Henry Bloom Noble Primary School on Thursday and Friday that all 11 pupils from St Mary's who had also been there had been "kept apart from any other children".

The second case was an individual who developed symptoms and was tested after contacting the Covid 111 service.

Rapid testing was offered to all other members of both households and all results came back negative, however, both households are isolating.

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