The reasons for quarantining people returning to the island were underlined today by the Health Minister.

David Ashford was speaking at the daily coronavirus press conference.

Island residents who were outside the island when the lockdown was introduced have not been allowed back to the island.

However, they are now being let back to the island in stages. The first to be repatriated will arrive on the Ben-my-Chree on Wednesday.

They will then be forced to be quarantined in the Comis Hotel, Mount Murray.

Mr Ashford said: ’The system we have put in place is designed to protect island residents.’

He said the medical modelling show that even if a minority were symptomatic went out into the community, there would be a ’double bounce’ effect.

There could be 100 extra cases and that could increase infections exponentially and we could then follow Italy’s trajectory.

While returning residents must be pay for their accommodation themselves, people who cannot afford it will not be turned away, Mr Ashford said.