Gov. Burgum’s Weds COVID-19 News Briefing

(CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his Weekly COVID-19 News Briefing Wednesday afternoon at the State Capital in Bismarck.

He was  joined by North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott and state Chief Health Strategist Dr. Joshua Wynne.

Burgum said the state’s goal continues to be to save lives and  livelihoods, and to stay in a position so as not to have to roll back the state’s reopening of businesses.

The North Dakota Department of Health on Wednesday, July 22, reported a single-day record of 160 new cases of COVID-19.

He said, the numbers released on Wednesday were recalculated, to reflect the accurate counts, due to a batch of tests that needed to be recounted, and put into the combined Monday and Tuesday mix.

NDDoH COVID-19 Stats

Posted Wed. Jul. 22, 2020

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

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

• Man in his 70s from Burleigh County with underlying health conditions.
• Woman in her 90s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

• Barnes County – 1
• Barnes Total 28
• Recovered 26
• Benson County – 5
• Bowman County – 2
• Burke County – 3
• Burleigh County – 39
• Cass County – 42
• Cavalier County – 1
• Eddy County – 1
• Emmons County – 1
• Grand Forks County – 6
• Kidder County – 1
• McKenzie County – 2
• McLean County – 2
• Mercer County – 1
• Morton County – 12
• Mountrail County – 4
• Oliver County – 1
• Ransom County – 1
• Richland County – 4
• Sargent County – 1
• Sioux County – 1
• Stark County – 2
• Stutsman County – 8

• From a single location and part of ongoing group testing.
• The location has not been disclosed.

• Stutsman Total 84
• Recovered 67
• Walsh County – 2
• Ward County – 5
• Wells County – 1
• Williams County – 11

BY THE NUMBERS

270,943 – Total Number of Tests Completed* (+4,259 total tests from yesterday)

139,266 – Total Unique Individuals Tested* (+1,973 unique individuals from yesterday)

133,899 – Total Negative (+1,813 unique individuals from yesterday)

5,367 – Total Positive (+160 unique individuals from yesterday)

3.8% – Daily Positivity Rate**

317 – Total Hospitalized (+8 individual from yesterday)

52 – Currently Hospitalized (+6 individuals from yesterday)

4,407 – Total Recovered (+88 individuals from yesterday)

96 – Total Deaths*** (+2 individual from yesterday)

* Note that this does not include individuals from out of state and has been updated to reflect the most recent information discovered after cases were investigated.

**Because the serial tests completed and added to the total number of tests completed can result in new individuals who test positive, the daily positivity rate will be calculated using the total positives for the day by the daily number of tests completed instead of the daily number of unique individuals tested.

*** Number of individuals who tested positive and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19.

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.

Burgum said serial testing of long term care facility residents and staff  help slow the spread of the virus, specifically retesting staff regularly, and determining if any are asymptomatic, and passing the virus to others in the facility.

With the use of face masks, Burgum said guidelines remain in place to wear face masks at locations including business that have individuals in close contact with customers.  He said North Dakota will not mandate the wearing of masks.  He said wearing masks do make a difference in slowing the spread of the virus. He said local school districts will make the decision on face mask wearing.

With Higher Education, North Dakota University System Chancellor Mark Hagerott said, August 24 State University students will return to campus.  He said students should wear face masks, and practice safe measures, like social distancing, and frequent hand washing.

State Chief Health Strategist Dr. Joshua Wynne, said a testing strategy of students has been developed.  Common sense like  wearing face masks, and practicing safe measures, like social distancing, and frequent hand washing is necessary.

Identifying  and isolating students that test positive, and to locate those individuals that are asymptomatic, and isolating them is of utmost importance, in not spreading the virus.

Burgum said, The Economic Resiliency Grant Program is helping businesses restore consumer confidence and reduces the spread of COVID-19.  Business can apply for up to $50,000 in a grant. NDresponse.gov has more information.

Burgum pointed out that he and  state Superintendent Kirsten Baesler Tuesday hosted the fourth annual Governor’s Summit on Innovative Education, highlighting the progress being made in North Dakota toward personalized, competency-based learning, the role that technology can play in those efforts, and the opportunity for innovation amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 1,300 educators, administrators, school board members, legislators, parents and other stakeholders registered to participate virtually in the summit, which was livestreamed from the North Dakota Heritage Center in Bismarck with nationally recognized speakers joining from across the United States and Canada. Locally led breakout sessions also allowed participants to learn about best practices and innovation in the classroom, and engage in the conversation surrounding a safe restart to school this coming fall.

Burgum asks North Dakotans to thank those wearing face masks in protecting not only themselves, but also others from being infected with the COVID-19 virus, and to stay North Dakota Smart.