A shipment of rapid Covid-19 tests to the Island from the federal government was delayed this week, with test kits supplies in most towns depleted and cases remaining at an all-time high.
To date more than 10,000 test kits have been distributed, with more on the way, but supply chain problems delayed this week’s shipment, health officials said Thursday.
“It’s a possibility that we might receive a partial order tomorrow,” Tisbury health agent Maura Valley told the Gazette by phone. Each town is expected to receive 2,700 kits. “I’m kind of guessing it will come Monday,” Ms. Valley said.
Hundreds of Islanders have lined up in the six towns for the free distribution of test kits in recent weeks. Test kits can also now be ordered online at covidtests.gov.
“The numbers are low right now,” Ms. Valley said, speaking of the Island supplies.
Meanwhile, positive cases have soared in recent weeks, with 457 confirmed cases reported for the week ending Jan. 15. The case counts showed a slight decline from the prior week’s total of 486 positive cases.
Over the holiday weekend an additional 87 cases were reported, with another 147 reported through Thursday. The majority of the cases are from testing at the Island hospital, with a smaller number being reported from home test kits and Test MV, the free testing site at the Ag Hall in West Tisbury.
The boards of health are now including results from home test kits in the daily and weekly totals.
Health officials continue to urge full vaccination for people over the age of five, and advise Islanders to wear N95 and K95 masks, which offer more protection than cloth masks.
As of Monday this week, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital was reporting one person hospitalized with the virus in serious condition. Further updates were unavailable at press time Thursday.
— Aidan Pollard
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