Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Today Gov. Burgum added another group of businesses to his executive order that forces closures: personal care services including salons, tattoo parlors and massage therapists.
"Effective at 12:00 a.m. Saturday, March 28, all licensed cosmetologists, including estheticians and manicurists, and all salons operated by licensed cosmetologists, including esthetician and manicurist salons or services and licensed barbers and barber shops are directed to close and cease operations; this requirement will continue until Monday, April 6, 2020," the amended order states.
Burgum made the announcement Friday during his daily press briefing, as the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 68 across N.D., and the first North Dakotan has died from COVID-19. The individual was a man in his 90s from Cass County who had other health conditions, according to the N.D. Department of Health. The number of individuals hospitalized with the virus increased to 16 today.
The statewide case number has nearly doubled in the past three days, from 36 confirmed cases Tuesday to 68 today.
When asked if the prediction that the state would not hit a peak in the number of confirmed cases for another 3 to 4 weeks, Burgum said that just as weather forecasters revise their predictions based on changing conditions, that state officials would be "continuing to revise the forecast," as new data comes in daily.
Burgum also noted that the number of unemployment claims filed in N.D. totaled 16,667 over the last nine days as a result of both COVID-19 and the downturn in the oil and gas industry.
Today President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act today, offering $2 trillion in aid to individuals, businesses and industries impacted by COVID-19.
Editor's Note: This article was updated at 11:05 p.m. on March 27, 2020 to correct an error. The statewide case number has doubled in the past **three** days (not two), from 36 confirmed cases **Tuesday** (not Wednesday, as there were 45 that day) to 68 today.
