(CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum returned from his Wednesday meeting with President Trump at the White House to resume his COVID-19 News Briefings on Thursday at the State Capital in Bismarck.

ND Dept of Health Joint Information Center press briefing with Governor Doug Burgum 5/14

ND Dept of Health Joint Information Center press briefing with Governor Doug Burgum 5/14Briefing will begin at approximately 3:30pm CT.

Posted by North Dakota Department of Health on Thursday, May 14, 2020

 

North Dakota has topped 50,000 in the number of tests for the coronavirus and 1,700 for the number of people confirmed to have the disease.

NDDoH

Released Thurs May 14, 2020 11-a.m.

Positive COVID-19 Test Results
Results listed are from the previous day.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED THURSDAY

  • Burleigh County – 1
  • Cass County – 57
  • Grand Forks County – 6
  • Mountrail County – 1
  • Richland County – 1
  • Williams County – 1


BY THE NUMBERS

50,311 – Total Tested (+1,366 individuals from yesterday)

48,599 – Total Negative (+1,301 individuals from yesterday)

1,712 – Total Positive (+67 individuals from yesterday)

Please note that a previously reported positive case from Cass County was discovered to be a duplicate and also a previously reported case from Morton County ended up being from out of state. This reduces our totals by two.

4.9% – Daily Positive Rate of Completed Tests

129 – Total Hospitalized (+2 individuals from yesterday)

38 – Currently Hospitalized (+1 individuals from yesterday)

1,007 – Total Recovered (+38 individuals from yesterday)

40 – Total Deaths (+0 individual from yesterday)

For descriptions of these categories, visit the NDDoH dashboard.

For the most updated and timely information and updates related to COVID-19, visit the NDDoH website at www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus, follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus.

Active cases currently are flat-lining in the statistics.

The highest number of positive cases are in Cass, followed by Grand Forks counties.

Burgum said challenges remain in testing of long-term care, facilities with staff tested, and then again a week later, in serial testing.

He updated the Red River COVID Task Force, saying more focused testing has started in Fargo and Moorhead, Minnesota.

The targeted testing goal is 1,000 tests a day, which may see the positives increase, or remain the same, including serial testing.

Homeless testing is at about 50 per day.  More contact tracers are being sought in Cass County.

Vulnerable populations testing will continue across the state, including congregate living settings, looking for possible COVID-19 “hot spots.”

He reviewed his White House round table with President Trump, Wednesday, including North Dakota Commerce Secretary Michell Kommer, and U.S. Senator, John Hoeven.  He said after the public meeting they discussed ag-related and other issues concerning North Dakota, including long-term care support, concerning North Dakota.

He said he has been tested for COVID-19 three times in the past week, including after visits at the White House and other DC locations, and were negative each time.

He said face masks were used, except during the conversations, and in the cabinet room social distancing was observed

In DC he thanked North Dakotans in observing taking protective measures to slow the virus spread.

Burgum said with school building accessibility in K-12, indoor facilities remain closed, and the state has more FAQ information on line at NDresponse, including specified uses starting June 1, 2020. School districts have more information on days for students to pick up personal items in school buildings, also uses, restrictions concerning playground accessibility.

With primary and local elections, he said young people turning 18 years old are encouraged to vote on June 9, 2020, for the first time.  He pointed out all 53 North Dakota counties will have mail in voting, only,adding 128,178  ballots have been sent, with about 23,000 ballots returned.

He explained the process including receiving applications, returning them by mail, and the receiving and returning the completed election ballot, either by mail, or at local drop box locations.

With Job Service, he said the unemployment processing mainframe was updated, that allowed claims to be processed faster and checks sent out faster.  He said so far the state has sent $236.3 million in benefits.