Four more cases of Covid have been picked up through track and trace - taking the total number of active cases in the current cluster to 25.

Details were given by the Chief Minister Howard Quayle in the House of Keys this morning.

He said all four new cases had already been in self-isolation having been identified as high risk contacts.

Mr Quayle told MHKs: ’As of this morning, there are 25 local cases involved in the current cluster.

’Since last Wednesday, contact tracing has identified and isolated 173 close contacts people, all have been offered swabs and the majority have accepted. All are in self-isolation.’

He said 307 tests were undertaken yesterday with a large number related to Java Express which had been identified as a low-risk location.

The coffee shop and noodle bar was reopening today after all staff tested negative.

Mr Quayle said: ’No positive tests were returned in respect of those premises. These initial results are encouraging and will help to inform the next steps.

’I would like to thank Java Express, their staff and all those members of the public who came forward in response to our appeal for their sense of social responsibility and in helping to keep our island safe.’

Mr Quayle said the index case was UK-based member of the Steam Packet crew and said there had been a ’clear breakdown in the rules and regulations’ on board the Ben-my-Chree and ’that’s what’s being investigated’.

He suggested that the issue involved a crew member not wearing a mask on board as required.

Mr Quayle said the wearing of PPE was ’paramount’.

The Chief Minister said all Steam Packet crew had been tested and as a result a further asymptomatic case had been found.

There had been two cases of Covid among Steam Packet staff previously and two since the index case was detected, he told MHKs.

Mr Quayle said a further meeting with Steam Packet officials was taking place to day to try to find an 'equitable solution' to 'plug the problem’ and he hoped a joint statement could be issued tomorrow.

As of yesterday, a total of 17,999 vaccinations have been given, of which 4,953 were second doses. ’We remain on track with our roll-out,’ the Chief Minister said.