Both TestMV and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital reported new cases of Covid-19 over the weekend, bringing the total number of patients who have tested positive for the virus to 52.

There are now 72 Island patients who have either tested positive for the virus, tested positive for viral antibodies or been symptomatically diagnosed with the disease.

The two new coronavirus patients reported on Monday — one male and one female — marked case numbers 18 and 19 in July, the most in a month since the pandemic began in March. The new cases have come with large increases in testing as the Island enters high summer, both at the hospital and at the TestMV site. Eleven patients have tested positive at the TestMV site in July; eight have tested positive at the hospital. 

One patient is in their twenties and one patient’s age is unknown, according to a daily testing report from the Island boards of health. There have now been 13 patients in their twenties to test positive for the virus - the most of any age group.

The Island currently has six active coronavirus cases — all other cases have been completed and released from monitoring by the Island boards of health.

In their daily online web update, the hospital reported one new patient who tested positive for the virus over the weekend. The hospital does not do updates on Saturday or Sunday.

The update reported that 2,630 patients have been tested for the virus since the outbreak began, with 37 coming back positive, 2,581 negative and 12 still pending.

The hospital continues to test symptomatic patients and their close contacts for the virus.

Test MV - a comprehensive coronavirus testing site located at the regional high school - is testing asymptomatic patients for the virus. In a daily demographic report provided by the Island boards of health, TestMV reported that it had tested 6,149 patients for the virus since opening in late May. Fifteen patients have tested positive, 5,411 have tested negative and 723 tests are still pending.

Due to a national backlog and surge in testing demand, TestMV announced on Friday that patients would have to wait seven days for test results.

The town of Aquinnah is also offering self-administered test kits through their board of health. So far, 69 tests have been administered with none coming back positive.

The new cases at the hospital and TestMV comes as both Cape Cod and Nantucket have seen sharp increases in cases over the past weeks. Nantucket reported nine new cases in the prior week, while the Cape has seen daily testing averages increase by approximately 60 per cent.

Statewide, daily coronavirus case numbers remain low compared to highs in mid-April. On Sunday, 271 people tested positive for the virus, with the DPH reporting 19 new deaths. More than 108,000 patients have tested positive in Massachusetts since testing began, and 8,310 people have died.