<p>Martha's Vineyard Hospital reported another 11 new positive coronavirus tests Thursday morning, bringing the weekly case total to 54 as a recent Covid spike continues unabated.
Martha's Vineyard Hospital reported another 11 new positive coronavirus tests Thursday morning, bringing the Island's weekly case total to 54 as a recent Covid-19 spike continues unabated.
The 11 new cases reported Thursday morning come just after Island health agents reported the largest single-day case volume on the Island since the pandemic began, with 19 new cases Wednesday, four on Tuesday and 20 on Monday. The 54 new cases this week dwarf previous weekly highs on the Island.
Meanwhile, Cronig's Market, a staple Island grocery store that has been closed since last Friday afternoon after a cluster of employees tested positive for the virus, reopened at 8:00 a.m. Thursday. The market will have limited hours, closing at 6:00 p.m.
In a daily online update Thursday morning, the hospital reported that 120 patients have tested positive for the virus at the facility as of 9:30 a.m., 11 more than the 109 reported on Tuesday.
The hospital update reported that there are no patients currently hospitalized with the virus. Thirty tests remain pending.
Island health officials release daily case totals around 5 p.m., which can include new cases from the hospital as well as patients who were tested at TestMV, meaning daily case numbers could increase.
Speaking to the Gazette by phone Thursday, Tisbury health agent Maura Valley said that there have now been 14 cases connected to a cluster outbreak among employees of the Cronig's Market grocery store, and another four connected to their families. The rest of the cases appear to be a mix of seemingly unrelated family and social groups, according to Island health officials. In public statements and meetings, they have cited a lack of seriousness in people’s observance of social distancing guidelines and mask wearing, as well as “Covid fatigue,” as factors in the case rise.
Ms. Valley said she is still trying to piece together whether there are connections between other cases.
"There's the Cronig's cases, and then some other, smaller groups of people that are connected with each other, and there are other ones that I haven't seen any connection yet," Ms. Valley said. "I'm going to have my office be like one of those CSI scenes."
Ms. Valley said that she had not heard of any cases being connected to employees who commute either on or off-Island for work.
Twelve cases were reported by the hospital on Wednesday. An additional six cases were reported in a daily public health update from TestMV later that afternoon, bringing that day's case total to 18. A nineteenth patient tested positive for the virus off-Island and was reported by the state public health database, Tisbury health agent Maura Valley confirmed over email.
There have now been 81 new cases reported in the past two weeks, shattering previous two-week case highs on the Island — both of which were set earlier this fall. The recent case rise has touched a wide swath of the Vineyard’s civic and public life, forcing two towns to cancel their special town meetings, a grocery store to shutter and schools to postpone expanded in-person learning.
Although active case numbers are only updated once per week, it is likely that there are between 50 and 60 currently active cases on the Island, considering the more than 50 new cases reported since Monday and the 17 active cases as of last Friday. Health agents have said that community spread is likely occurring for the first time since the pandemic began.
While a case cluster among Cronig’s Market employees accounts for ten of the recent cases,
Three positive cases have been reported in the Island’s public schools, and one in a pre-school that is overseen by the public school system.
Contact tracing is being done by public health nurses Lila Fisher and Lori Perry, as well as Island health agents. Islanders are encouraged to answer the phone and cooperate with contact tracers, public health officials said.
The hospital tests symptomatic patients and their close contacts, as well as some high risk patients that get referred by their primary care physician. Asymptomatic testing occurs at the regional high school site, TestMV.
Statewide case numbers are also rising precariously, prompting tighter mask and gathering rules from Gov. Charlie Baker. The state’s seven-day average case number has now eclipsed 1,500 daily cases.
On Wednesday, the DPH announced its highest single-day case total since early May, with 2,495 new patients reported. More than 600 patients are now hospitalized with the virus. And the DPH also recorded 37 new deaths, bringing the statewide total to 9,994.
The Centers for Disease Control has also reported that the United States recently broke the 10 million-case threshold, with more than 110,000 daily cases being reported on average over the past week — the highest numbers since the pandemic began.
Comments
Somehow the idea of
Concerned but Brave MVSomehow the idea of protecting those less fortunate than us has been turned on its head and you are a wimp if you wear a mask and avoid parties. It truly blows my mind. Proud to be an Islander? Proud to be an American? I am. And I wear a mask and avoid groups, as much as I miss my friends. The wimps are that guy in Stoppy EDG yesterday who had to take down his mask and defiantly talk to his current girlfriend on the phone in the middle of the aisle. Wimp. The wimps are the landscapers and builders who drive around packed in vehicles, no masks. Too much trouble to protect our elders and immune compromised? Too uncomfortable for you? Wimp. Our Island police and other government workers could lead by example. Many are not. Wimps. There is no way this gets solved by Charlie Baker’s orders. It gets solved by societal pressure, peer pressure, community expectations. Hey neighbor, why the heck are you having a party and pretending all is well? What’s wrong? Can’t handle the pressure? Wimp. It is Veteran’s day and I think of the sacrifices earlier generations have made, the hardships they have endured, in this, the greatest county on earth. Those pale in comparison to the hardships others endure in less fortunate places. And you can’t be bothered to care for your neighbor, can’t face the horrible societal demands of covering your spit so it doesn’t splash on others? You are truly wimps.
Do you wear a mask while in
Mike OBDo you wear a mask while in the car with your spouse? Or someone that lives with you? Who’s to say some of the vehicles you see with multiple people in them don’t live together? Whats the point of wearing a mask in a vehicle but when you go home it’s ok not to. I’m not saying that it’s all vehicles but definitely some.
Excuse me, yes you, without
Douglas Korves Always on IsllandExcuse me, yes you, without the mask. Yes you, the healthy young person, who can’t get sick but you are carrying it around with you in every touch. Yes you on the phone with your mask down on the phone. Yes you touching every can and squeezing every vegetable, grape, melon and tomato in the supermarket. Yes you running in a group or biking in a line streaming your vapor behind you. Do you know how much more likely you are to get the virus? Yes you handsome beautiful and social in each other’s face drinking and toasting. Yes you in the convenience store in your construction boots with your coworkers just sneaking in for cigs, coffee, water and too tough to challenge to put a mask on. Yes you who thinks he will never catch it looking at me with my mask so that I don’t give it to you. Yes you, who has no clue what pandemic spread is in an island.
What changes need to be made?
Shawn Taylor Oak BluffsWhat changes need to be made? Ask people for the 100th time to wear masks and social distance? That is not working. When do we Decide to get a handle on this community spread and shut things down? Are we seriously waiting for it to get worse? Good God let’s get a grip on this and shut it down.
Pretty sad when MV is no
JT MVPretty sad when MV is no better than the rest of the country. I *had* thought better of this island, but we are no better. Not enough people understand exponential growth, but 100k cases a day is going to sound like wishful thinking when cases are at 4-6x that in the dead of winter. I weep for this divided country.
Had to curtail a swim at the
Not an MD EdgartownHad to curtail a swim at the Y this afternoon because an uncaring member--who was out of the pool and standing just beyond the edge of my lane--had to have a full voice, maskless five-minute convo with a lifeguard who, for whatever reason, chose not to remind him of the Y's masking policy. Unbelievable. If you have no concern for your own well-being, for God's sake consider those who do.
It is important to note that
Concerned AQIt is important to note that Test MV is taking up to a week to get results back to people - so these new positives are from individuals tested last week!
A wise man said, "We're an
exhausted WTA wise man said, "We're an island with a moat until we're a cruise ship." So now we're a cruise ship. Shut it down, wear your mask, social distance and don't be a Karen or a Kevin. What is so hard about that? And oh yeah, it's not politics stupid, it's public health.
Obviously you’re name is not
Karen C. WTObviously you’re name is not Karen or Kevin or you would not be using these references in your post. I practice social distancing, wear a mask and am concerned about protecting myself and those with whom I come into contact. Why make a public comment and include a term that mocks people with a certain name?
Stop at stop signs.
Gary Maynard West TisburyStop at stop signs.
Install smoke detectors in our homes.
Use car seats for children.
Don’t speed in school zones.
Don’t fly drones over airports.
These random requirements restrict our personal freedom, yet almost all citizens comply with them. They are accepted as statistically effective, common sense and legally required to protect our community’s health and safety. They are Law and Order at its best. Why is wearing a mask so different or so difficult?
Unfortunately, all the
ZephyrUnfortunately, all the lecturing in the comments section will do nothing. The careless people without masks or proper distancing don't give a hoot about you or me. The only important thing is their own "freedom." Sadly, it is up to each of us to stay safe as best we can. I am personally avoiding shopping anywhere inside unless I absolutely have to: grocery stores only once every couple of weeks and at slow times. The post office and bank when I have to. That's it. We can't count on our fellow oblivious and selfish citizens--they just don't care.
I do look at this with a
MA Mainlander Mainland MAI do look at this with a sense of irony. All spring and summer, the holier-than-thous who frequent the comments section here critiqued and ridiculed the great unwashed masses who dared to descend on their tranquil little island. Who needs our leisure spending and tax revenue? We will surely be bringing the CV-19 infestation to the responsible elites who live on the Vineyard year round. Islanders can come and go as they please to shop and visit on the Cape and beyond, but how dare mainlanders take the ferry over and risk your lives?!!
And now that the loathsome tourist season is finally over, and it's just the island elites who are still around, heavens, Tisbury has turned Red!! MVH is up to 54 cases this week! Maybe the elites should be looking up their nose at themselves. Us lowlife mainlanders came and went responsibly, but you crabby, get-off-my-lawn folks are showing us all how not to do things. Well done, island snobs!
That’s nice of you
Island galThat’s nice of you
Most of the people at risk
Erich MenemshaMost of the people at risk here on the island are not the "elites," but the frontline workers at the markets and restaurants who rely on summer visitors to bank enough to survive the off season, when most of the "elites" you lambaste aren't even here. Thank you for behaving responsibly when you visited, but please don't confuse the hard working year round residents of the Island with these elites you apparently so resent.
Erich, I agree wholeheartedly
MA Mainlander Mainland MAErich, I agree wholeheartedly. And obviously I wouldn't be a yearly visitor if the wonderful folks we encounter every year carried themselves in this way. It is truly a vocal minority who pontificate in the comments. But this spring and summer there was a very obvious vitriol spewed here against "outsiders" as the summer season approached. I assume those haughty keyboard warriors mostly hide out Up Island whenever I am around. But the fact remains- the tourist season came and went responsibly and successfully, and it is now that the renters have mostly gone home that the cases are spiking. Hopefully the frontline workers stay safe.
This is simple people: wear a
Step up and try harder VHThis is simple people: wear a proper cloth mask (not gaiters or bandanas) when in public, and wash them regularly. Throw away disposable ones daily. Wash your hands so often you get sick of seeing the sink; and keep them off your face. Wipe down common areas at home or work (doorknobs, light switches, appliance handles...)
I’m tired of the complaints about the ‘world as you know it’ being disrupted when you’re still socializing indoors or letting your kids have sleep-overs. You can’t have your cake and eat it too this time.
If you ever had to raise an immune-compromised child or take care of an elderly relative, you’d likely not blink an eye at all the precautions. It’s not hard when you care about the person you’re protecting- right?! So I think the problem with this virus is people’s inability to act as if they already have it (asymptomatic) and thus should be trying not to spread it to those they care about. I’m just hoping people can put our community’s needs BEFORE their own wants- starting now, so we can get this under control here!
CDC guidelines say double
Kelce Oak BluffsCDC guidelines say double layered gaiters are every bit effective as masks. I prefer their tighter fit, too. So don’t go tar and feathering me.
Certainly appreciate DOH
Leadership EdgartownCertainly appreciate DOH officials stepping up on covid reporting, contact tracing but where is our esteemed MVH CEO for the past week as we're experiencing this explosion of cases? We need someone to guide us through this health crisis and I can't think of anyone better positioned.
What more would you like her
T Bone Oak BluffsWhat more would you like her to do?
164,541 cases in U.S.
Frank Brunelle Vineyard Haven164,541 cases in U.S. yesterday. More than India, Brazil, France, Russia, Spain and th2 UK combined. These are the 6 countries listed right underneath us. Out of Control. Be Careful.
Exactly Gary! Just wear the
Krissy Edgartown and NJExactly Gary! Just wear the darn mask.
I'm very sad to read about
Susan T C Bucks County, PAI'm very sad to read about the COVID cases on MV, and pray for their recovery, and control of the surge.
I remember the vitriol towards seasonal visitors in some comments here last Spring, and am relieved that we summer people didn't cause this outbreak. Please wear masks and stay safe.
If the Cronig's patients are
Erich MenemhsaIf the Cronig's patients are cashiers, it would make a lot of sense to use any available credit card transaction data to expand contact tracing. Cronig's has been very responsible in their handling of this situation, and obviously none of this is remotely any individual employee's fault - nevertheless, it appears Cronig's was something of a petri dish for a week or so, and Island health officials should take every possible measure to contact trace exposed customers.
I think if the cashier was
KM OBI think if the cashier was wearing a mask, I was wearing a mask, I sanitized my hands and credit card after the transaction, and I was in front of them for only at most five minutes, it’s pretty safe. And I’m the uptight person still wiping down my groceries and/ or quarantining them.. ;)
Are you serious? That is a
Mark EdgartownAre you serious? That is a blatant violation of privacy laws.
Respectfully, Erich,
Jane Norton ChilmarkRespectfully, Erich,
When was the last time you were unmasked, within 6' of an unmasked Cronig's checkout employee for more than 15 minutes without a plexiglass shield? Or saw anyone else who was?
That's what is considered "close contact". Mining credit card transactions for contact tracing would be a fool's errand.
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