Bismarck (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 Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer.

He related the strategic goals in fighting the pandemic including protecting the most vulnerable individuals.

He said hospitals and staffing in North Dakota now better understands through therapeutics to fight the disease.

He said the state continues to address health and economic issues, “lives and livelihoods.”

Back to school issues are continuing to addressed.

Burgum pointed out that 56 percent of the individuals who tested positive were asymptomatic.

He encourages residents to MaskUp, and wear masks at all times in the public settings, “our path to freedom, from the disease.”

He noted that social distancing is vitally important in addition to mask wearing.

Burgum is not adjusting the state’s risk level, still in the low category, with the criteria to be reviewed, for relevancy, on a county by county basis.

He  says the risk levels for COVID-19 hotspots in the state could be elevated beginning next week if the pandemic continues to worsen. The  announcement came as active coronavirus cases in North Dakota rose to another new daily high, led by the Bismarck metropolitan area. Burgum said he wasn’t prepared to amend the state’s “low” risk level under his ND Smart Restart Plan, which provides coronavirus-related protocols for everything schools and businesses to family gatherings.

He passed along the latest COVID-19 statistic, issued on Wednesday morning.

Active coronavirus cases in North Dakota have risen to another new daily high on Wednesday. Health officials says the number of active cases was 1,784 on Wednesday, an increase of 103 from the previous high set Tuesday.  North Dakota’s death toll remained at 138 as of Wednesday. North Dakota remained in the “low” risk level under Gov. Doug Burgum’s ND Smart Restart Plan, which provides coronavirus-related protocols. North Dakota health officials reported 238 new positive COVID-19 cases, including 64 cases in Burleigh County and 12 in neighboring Morton County. The counties have been state’s hot spot for the virus.

 

NDDoH

COVID-19 Stats

Wed. Aug. 26, 2020

Posted 11-a.m.

 

Barnes

New Positives 3

Total Positives 63

Active Cases 16

Recovered 47

 

Stutsman

New Positives 10

Total Positives 152

Active Cases 20

Recovered 129

 

COVID-19 Test Results
The results listed are from the previous day. Additional data can be found on the NDDoH website.

BY THE NUMBERS

4,446 – Total Tests from Yesterday*

442,896 – Total tests completed since pandemic began

238 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday

10,467 – Total positive individuals since pandemic began

5.35% – Daily Positivity Rate**

 

1,784 – Total Active Cases

+103 Individuals from yesterday

135 – Individuals Recovered from Yesterday****

8,545 – Total recovered since pandemic began

53 – Currently Hospitalized

+3 individuals from yesterday


0 – New Deaths*** (138 total deaths since the pandemic began)


COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

  • Barnes County – 3
  • Benson County – 4
  • Burleigh County – 64
  • Cass County – 29
  • Cavalier County – 1
  • Dickey County – 2
  • Dunn County – 3
  • Eddy County – 2
  • Emmons County – 1
  • Grand Forks County – 8
  • Hettinger County – 2
  • Kidder County – 1
  • McHenry County – 1
  • McKenzie County – 6
  • McLean County – 8
  • Mercer County – 2
  • Morton County – 12
  • Mountrail County – 2
  • Oliver County – 2
  • Pembina County – 1
  • Pierce County – 2
  • Ramsey County – 6
  • Ransom County – 2
  • Renville County – 1
  • Rolette County – 5
  • Sargent County – 1
  • Sioux County – 7
  • Stark County – 4
  • Stutsman County – 10
  • Traill County – 1
  • Walsh County – 3
  • Ward County – 23
  • Wells County – 1
  • Williams County – 18

 

* 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.
**** The daily numbers are the actual date individuals are officially out of isolation and no longer contagious.

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 North Dakota is applying as a recipient for FEMA funding, under the Lost Wages Assistance program, to supplement those whose jobs were affected during the pandemic, as individuals provide certified information.

The program would supplement individuals over a three week period in August. Benefits may be going out in September.

North Dakota Commerce Commissioner Michelle Kommer said over 3,000  Economic Resiliency Grant (ERG) applications have been filed in North Dakota, and are under review.  She cited examples of North Dakota businesses that have benefited from the dollars granted in the program.

Burgum said, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross has announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding $2.2 million in CARES Act Recovery Assistance grants to six EDA Economic Development District organizations across North Dakota to update economic development plans and fortify programs to assist communities in responding to the coronavirus pandemic

He said, “We appreciate the Trump administration’s investment in North Dakota to support our ongoing economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19. Our economic development organizations play an integral role in creating opportunities for North Dakota workers, and these CARES Act grants will bolster our continuing efforts to save lives and livelihoods.”

Among those recipients include, South Central Dakota Regional Council, in Jamestown, North Dakota, will receive a $236,460 EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to respond to the coronavirus pandemic by providing technical assistance and capacity-building for member organizations, local businesses, and other local stakeholders and coordinating a pandemic recovery and resiliency plan.

Burgum said the new Parents Lead resource encourages parents and caregivers to provide a space for their child to talk about their questions and concerns, be honest about what to expect and lead by example.  Visit  www.parentslead.org for this information and more.

 

The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) recently expanded the current call center to enhance customer experience and decrease phone call wait times for Driver License customers.

The call center expansion helps to ensure NDDOT customers receive prompt service and meet driver license renewal deadlines.

All renewals for driver licenses, which expired March 1 or later, have been extended and will follow a phased schedule. The deadline for vehicle registrations remains August 31.

The renewal schedule for driver license is as follows:

  • Licenses which expired in March, April or May 2020 must be renewed no later than September 30, 2020.
  • Licenses which expired in June 2020 must be renewed no later than October 31, 2020.
  • Licenses which expired, or will expire, in July, August, September or October 2020 must be renewed no later than November 30, 2020.
  • Licenses which expire in November and December 2020 must be renewed no later than December 31, 2020.

NDDOT will continue to serve the citizens by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, visit our website at dot.nd.gov or call 1-855-633-6835.

The next News Briefing is planned, for Wednesday September 2, 2020 at 3:30 p.m.

In other state news, the North Dakota Supreme Court has ruled that the Democratic nominee for insurance commissioner can’t be placed on the November ballot. In a unanimous opinion Wednesday, the high court upheld a lower court ruling that concluded Travisia Martin hasn’t lived in the state long enough to hold the office. The North Dakota Constitution requires statewide officials to be a resident of the state for five years prior to an election for statewide office. North Dakota’s Republican Party cited Martin’s November 2016 vote in Nevada as evidence of her ineligibility to hold office. Democrats endorsed Martin to run against incumbent Jon Godfread.