Health agents reported 19 new coronavirus cases on the Island Thursday — likely the largest single-day total since the pandemic began. One patient is currently hospitalized.
Health agents reported 19 new coronavirus cases on the Island Thursday — tied for the largest single-day total since the pandemic began.
In a daily case update that went out on Thursday afternoon, health agents reported that 12 of the new cases were tested at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and seven at TestMV, bringing the Island’s weekly case count to 56. Only two weeks in mid-November have reported higher case counts, both in the sixties.
A total of 390 patients have now tested positive for the virus, with more than 300 cases coming since mid-October, as the fall’s dramatic increase in cases on-Island continues. The Island’s current 14-day running case total is 105, according to case tallies from the boards of health as of Nov. 27.
Although health agents have reported larger single-day case totals on Mondays, those totals included daily tallies from Saturday and Sunday as well, making the 19 new cases reported Thursday the highest single-day case total reported over the course of the outbreak. Tisbury health agent Maura Valley confirmed in an email Thursday night that health agents also reported 19 new cases on Nov. 11.
In the update, health agents also reported one new probable case of the virus, bringing the total of symptomatically diagnosed patients and those who have tested positive for antibodies to 28. The total number of laboratory confirmed and probably cases on the Island is now 418.
Meanwhile, the hospital reported in a daily online update that there was currently one patient hospitalized with the virus. According to an email from hospital head of operations Claire Seguin, the patient was admitted on Dec. 9 and is in good condition. The email was sent at 8 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 11.
The patient is the hospital’s first Covid-19 hospitalization since a patient admitted in fair condition was discharged in good condition on Thanksgiving Day. The patient had been admitted for just less than one week before their discharge.
The hospital has now treated at least five patients with Covid-19 since October, airlifting one in critical condition in mid-November. All patients have since been discharged.
At a press briefing last week, hospital officials confirmed that they could admit off-Island patients depending on hospital capacity across Region 5, which includes the Cape and South Shore.
Statewide, case numbers continued to break records, with the Department of Public Health reporting 5,130 new Covid-19 patients on Thursday and 41 new deaths. The state has now eclipsed 5,000 daily cases for the second day in a row, and the third overall.
Hospitalizations continue to steadily increase across the state, with 1,607 patients now hospitalized and 307 in intensive care units. The seven-day weighted average positive test rate has been steady at just over 5 per cent for the past week.
This article has been updated to include the condition of the hospitalized patient and confirmation of Thursday marking the Island's highest single-day case total.
Comments
I would really like to know
islanddogs EdgartownI would really like to know how much of a followup is going on with people who test positive. I know for a fact a household where one person is sick and the other people are still going on with their "regular lives". Why can't we make these people quarantine like the sick person, since they all live in the same house, share the same bathroom and kitchen?
If you “know this for a fact”
Jess EdgartownIf you “know this for a fact” the place to report it is the BOH. Please do that.
If you were to report the
Tobrina West TisburyIf you were to report the person /household you know, then they could get help getting educated to how dangerous it is to be out and about as carriers. That could be to your doctor, the hospital or your local police department. It is the best interest as citizens of Martha's Vineyard that we keep each other safe.
Because, islanddogs, it is
Lorraine EdgartownBecause, islanddogs, it is the same old, same old: Don't tax me, don't tax thee, tax that man behind the tree....some things never change.
I still see people without
Rise Terney West TisburyI still see people without masks or without properly positioned masks. We need tighter enforcement at least in the coming weeks. I was at the ferry terminal on Monday and a man was walking around without a mask. When I reminded him masks were required in public places he just yelled a few swear words.
islanddogs - This is a public
Christine Sengekontacketislanddogs - This is a public health emergency. If this were a family I know, I would report them to the Public Health Director in my town. If you call Town Hall, they can give you a name and contact information of your public health director. You have the power to help the community stop the spread. Use that power to report these people.
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