HAMILTON, Bermuda (CMC) — Bermuda’s Health Minister Kim Wilson has expressed concern after officials reported 18 new COVID-19 cases — the highest single-day total for three months — among the latest batch of 519 test results.

Of the new cases, 15 were logged as on-island transmissions with a known contact. One case was a returning resident on the Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta on March 8, and the other two were listed as under investigation because they had no known links to existing cases or recent overseas travel.

Wilson said the latest surge — just days after the Atlanta-based US Centres for Disease Control lowered the island’s COVID-19 risk assessment to “moderate” — meant there are now 48 active infections.

She added: “Most of our new cases are being spread by local residents and the number of people infected is growing. It is worth repeating that the UK variant on island now is much more transmissible than the virus we were dealing with before.”

The island has recorded 767 infections since the pandemic hit last March, with 12 deaths.

Minister of National Security Renee Ming told the House of Assembly on Friday that prosecutors have received more than 20 files about COVID-19 breaches for review.

She said recent breaches of the COVID-19 regulations, which limit gatherings to 25 people, were similarly worrisome.

One party that police broke up had more than 100 people in attendance.

“Through traditional news media and social media, many of us have seen the evidence of parties and gatherings that exceed the approved group gathering limits,” Ming said.

“The fact that the attendees of these events also violated the health and safety protocols by not wearing masks or practising physical distancing further compounds the recklessness of hosting these events.”