Updated 5:00 pm

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 on the Island rose to 19 Thursday marking the third day in a row with a new confirmed case.

In their daily update, the Marthas Vineyard Hospital reported that a total of 413 patients had been tested for COVID-19. Of those 388 had negative results and six are pending results.

There are currently no COVID-19 hospitalizations at the hospital.

According to a report from the Islands boards of health, of the 19 confirmed cases, ten are female and nine are male. Seven of the cases are aged 50-59 years old, six cases are 60-69 years old, two are 30-39 years old, three are 20-29 years old, and one is 20 years old or younger.

In a press conference Thursday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations statewide has plateaued.

We have, in fact, bent the curve, Baker said. We did, in fact, reduce the spread. We are now living with a plateau that Im sure all of us would like to see dip a little bit.

Baker stressed that now was not the time to let up.

Infectious disease specialists now believe this virus can go undetected for days and some people who test positive actually never show symptoms at all, he said, adding that efforts are focused on eliminating a scenario where the virus comes back.

Communications director Katrina Delgadillo confirmed that one of the confirmed COVID-19 patients transferred to Boston due to health complications has died due to medical complications not proven to be related to COVID-19.

That patient is one of three who have been transferred off-Island. Two COVID-19 patients were transported to Boston by helicopter and a third maternity patient was taken off-Island by ferry in a private vehicle. The two other COVID-19 transfers have been discharged, according to Delgadillo.

The hospital reported on Friday that it had one patient who was hospitalized. Hospital communications director Katrina Delgadillo told The Times the patient had been discharged on Saturday in stable condition.

On the state level Thursday, the Department of Public Health reported that 275,647 COVID-19 tests had been conducted, with 62,205 confirmed cases of COVID-19 statewide.

A day after reporting its highest number of deaths in a day at 252, DPH reported Thursday 157 new deaths for a total of 3,562. The bulk of the states deaths, nearly two thirds, have been patients 80 or older and the average age of a hospitalized COVID-19 patient is 69. According to the state data, 6 percent of the confirmed cases are hospitalized.

Updated with current state COVID-19 numbers and Island boards of health statistics. Ed.

Excerpt from:

Island COVID-19 confirmed cases rise to 19 - Martha's Vineyard Times