Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Friday, April 10
The good news on Good Friday was the low number of new positive cases, with just nine new cases reported. The number of recovered individuals also rose above 100 that day. The state’s seventh death was the not-so-good news, however. Governor Doug Burgum addressed the fact that Easter Sunday would look much different this year due to social distancing. He signed an executive order declaring that the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and all other magical creatures were deemed essential workers and therefore free to travel the state. He also encouraged residents to find smart ways to celebrate and connect with one another while maintaining physical distance. The governor also announced that he would not hold press conferences on Saturday or Sunday due to the holiday.
Monday, April 13
Monday’s numbers reflected the third largest net daily increase in the number of active cases. There were 23 new cases reported and only six recoveries for a net increase of 17. The state’s overall positive rate had also risen, with 5.3% of the day’s tests coming back positive compared to the 3.1% rolling average.
A man in his 50s from Ward County with underlying health conditions died over the Easter weekend, bringing the state’s total deaths to eight.
Hoeven announced during his press conference Monday that a ninth person had also died from COVID-10: a man in his 80s from Morton County who was in close contact with someone who tested positive had died overnight Sunday.
The state conducted a targeted testing event in Mountrail County over the weekend in partnership with the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribes dubbed "Operation Drive-In". A total of 282 specimens were collected at Elbowoods Memorial Health Center in New Town from first responders, law enforcement and health care workers. Mountrail County is considered a “mini hotspot” due to community spread, said Burgum. He told residents that a similar increase in cases can happen anywhere and added that the state is prepared to go wherever needed to identify and isolate positive cases to slow the spread as needed.
“Testing and contract tracing need to be our way of life,” Burgum said, adding that the response continues to be federally supported, state managed and locally executed.
Tuesday, April 14
Burgum released details of the state’s hospital surge plan, which includes the placement of 200 beds each at the Fargodome and University of Mary Fieldhouse. These “Tier 3” facilities are in place only as a precaution and will be used in the event that the state’s hospitals see a huge spike in patients. Burgum reiterated that with 13 people hospitalized, the state is using less than one-half of 1% of its available beds at existing medical facilities. The state’s medical facilities have just under 3,500 beds available. The plan calls for the deployment of as many as 4,000 additional beds at eight minimum care, or Tier 3, facilities should the need arise. In addition to the aforementioned sites in Bismarck and Fargo, facilities could be set up in six other N.D. communities: Devils Lake, Dickinson, Minot, Grand Forks and Williston. Each site is connected to a state higher education institution and has a lead hospital partner.
Wednesday, April 15
The U.S. Commerce Department reported the biggest one-month plunge in retail sales in nearly three decades of record keeping. The preliminary report showed a seasonally adjusted drop of 8.7 percent from February’s total sales. Analysts predict that April’s number may be worse yet, as many states didn’t issue shutdown orders for non-essential businesses until late March or early April.
Total cases worldwide surpassed the 2 million mark Wednesday, with 128,041 deaths reported. On a positive note, the number of people who had recovered was approaching a half million. There were 24 new cases reported today, 3 of them under the age of 20.
Here in North Dakota, Wednesday the NDDoH reported its highest daily increase since the state began reporting, with 24 new cases. For the third day in a row the state’s positive test rate stood above 5%, up from its 3.1% average. Burgum said it was perhaps a sign that the curve is starting to climb, considering that the state currently has a backlog of 400 tests due to machine issues. The state lab will not run three shifts per day as testing continues to ramp up.
The Governor also extended his executive order shuttering many businesses and restricting activity at others until April 30.
He said that although North Dakota can act independently based on our own data, there is coordination on a regional basis with other states to not further risk each other as decisions are made to lift restrictions.
The state agencies are now shifting their energy to developing a plan to restore business activity called N.D. Smart Restart. In the meantime, Burgum encouraged all other businesses to start working on new standard operating procedures. He said daily disinfection procedures, mandatory health and hygiene for all employees, and discontinued use of shared items are just a few of the things that may need to be implemented to better protect people from not only COVID-19 but also future infectious diseases.
