Another five positive Covid-19 cases have been identified, which the government believes to be linked to the recent cluster outbreak which originated with an island-based Steam Packet crew member.

The current number of active cases stands at 15.

In a media briefing this evening Chief Minister Howard Quayle said that the situation ’remains very similar to yesterday’, with all cases identified believed to be linked to a single chain of transmission/a single cluster.

He added that it was ’encouraging that we have had no surprises in terms of the cases identified so far’.

Mr Quayle said that the Council of Ministers have determined that for the time being there ’remains no need to bring in restrictions to island life’ but that further developments would be monitored closely.

One of the new positive cases identified includes a Steam Packet crew member, detected by a screening swab yesterday and who Health Minister David Ashford said had been on the same shift pattern as one of the staff members who previously tested positive.

The other four cases are one close contact and three children, all close contacts of existing cases.

Mr Quayle said that investigations into the cluster outbreak are underway, and that meetings had been arranged with Steam Packet officials.

Currently, Steam Packet workers are issued with exemption certificates which enable them to travel to and from the island, where they must abide by ’modified self-isolation’ restrictions.

This means they can travel directly to and from their vessel and accommodation, but must isolate outside of work and so cannot attend pubs or restaurants.

Face coverings must be worn when travelling between work and their place of isolation.

However, the other members of their household do not need to isolate.

Mr Ashford stressed that ’We have anticipated that we would find further cases among close contacts, that is to be expected in the contact tracing process as we go forward’.

Minister Ashford went on to address two points about the vaccination rollout.

He said that the community vaccination team had been observing that ’a large proportion of patients who they visit to give the vaccine to are turning out to not be genuinely housebound’.

He urged anyone registered for a housebound vaccination who feels that they would be able to travel to a vaccination hub with the assistance of family or friends, to call 111 and amend their registration.

Secondly, speaking about those with learning disabilities, Mr Ashford said that rather than being vaccinated at two different points in the vaccine rollout as was planned, people with autism and adults with severe learning disabilities would instead be vaccinated as part of priority group 4 in the rollouts.

The vaccination sites used would be Greenfield park and Tall Trees day services complex to ensure that these individuals could be vaccinated in familiar surroundings, over the period of three days in late March.

The government’s contact tracing have also identified a number of locations which posed a low-risk of transmission of Covid-19. The list has been published on the government’s website and features in the Isle of Man Courier, which is currently available online below.

Mr Quayle stressed that there was ’no cause for undue concern, no action needed by public’ in relation to these locations, and that the lists were issued to ’encourage extra vigilance’ so that anyone who had been at the venues at specific times could be more aware of any symptoms they may develop.

Mr Quayle added that the businesses have been contacted and whilst they are permitted to continue to trade, some have taken the decision to close, which remains up to them.

Two of the low-risk locations identified included Ballakermeen High School and the number 31 school bus on the morning and afternoon of February 12.

Education Minister Dr Alex Allinson said that a small number of pupils who might be at risk had been identified by contact tracing and were now self isolating along with their households.

Dr Allinson added that unless the situation changes over the weekend, the school will open on Monday, but that any pupils who show symptoms must stay home and self-isolate and phone 111.

Public Health director Henrietta Ewart concluded that was a reason for ’cautious optimism’ because that as it is a week since the index case emerged, that ’the chances of further cases emerging now are gradually going down’ as those cases would have been expected to have been seen by now.