Hospital reports no new cases

26 of 29 confirmed not showing symptoms and have been released from isolation.

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Of the 29 confirmed cases, 26 are not showing symptoms and have been released from isolation. — Lexi Pline

Updated 5:35 pm 

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported no new confirmed cases of COVID-19 Friday. 

After a week of no new cases, the hospital reported two new cases in three days this week, bringing the hospital’s confirmed case count to 27.

The hospital has tested 880 patients for COVID-19. Of those, 839 are negative and 14 are pending results. There are also zero hospitalizations at the hospital, but the hospital has previously transferred three patients off-Island for COVID-related issues.

Island Health Care, along with Quest Diagnostics, is set to begin expanded testing on the Island with tests of frontline workers Friday at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School followed by a mass testing of whoever wants it throughout the summer.

The Island boards of health, which aggregate tests conducted off-Island, reported two additional confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the Island’s total number of confirmed cases to 29.

Of those, 17 are female and 12 are male. Eight of the cases are aged 50-59 years old, seven cases are 60-69 years old, five are 20-29 years old, three are 30-39 years old, two are 20 years old or younger, two are 40-49, and two are 70 years or older.

In an expanded report Friday, the boards of health reported that 18 of the confirmed cases are linked to another case.

26 of the 29 confirmed cases are no longer symptomatic and have been released from isolation according to the expanded report. Two cases are still being followed by public health officials and the boards of health were unable to contact one case.

The rise in cases comes as the state relaxed restrictions on many businesses this week

The boards of health are also reporting on eight additional “probable positive” cases, which are patients who tested positive for an antibody test.

Of those antibody tests, five are female and three are male. Two are aged 50-59, two are aged 40-49, two are 20 years old or younger, one is aged 60-69, and one is aged 20-29.

The hospital is only conducting antibody tests on its staff as part of a clinic trial. Hospital CEO Denise Schepici has said antibody tests are in “the research phase” and that DPH does not count positive antibody tests as positive COVID-19 tests.

6 of the positive antibody cases are linked to another positive antibody test.

At the state level Friday, deaths, new confirmed cases, and hospitalizations of COVID-19 all saw decreases.

The Department of Public Health reported 78 new COVID-19-related deaths, down from 93 on Thursday. There have been 6,718 total deaths across the state.

DPH also reported 617 new confirmed cases, bringing the state total to 95,512. Massachusetts has performed 571,745 tests. There are currently 1,991 COVID-19 patients hospitalized across Massachusetts.

 

Updated to add current state numbers. — Ed.