With the Omicron variant creating an explosion of cases nationally, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported Wednesday that four people were hospitalized — the most since the pandemic began.

Islanders are queuing up in large numbers for Covid-19 tests and booster shots, as an early winter case surge swells on the Vineyard and public health officials keep close eye on the numbers.

New cases of Covid-19 shot up over 100 last week, surpassing August peak numbers and matching the infection rate of last April. The Island boards of health reported that 105 people had received positive PCR tests for the coronavirus during the week ending Dec. 11.

The recent surge in Covid-19 cases on the Island has included an increase in hospitalizations, even as appointments for booster vaccine shots have been hard to come by.

Covid-19 cases on the Vineyard spiked sharply upward last week, with Island boards of health reporting 76 confirmed cases over a seven-day period from Nov. 28 through Dec. 4. Another 19 cases were reported for Sunday and Monday.