Bismarck  (CSi)  Governor Doug Burgum held his Weekly News Briefing on Friday at the State Capital in Bismarck. He was joined by North Dakota First Lady Kathryn Burgum, State School Superintendent Kirsten Baesler, and  Human Services Director, Chris Jones.

He said new cases and positivity rates are still “going the wrong way,” Climbing.

He pointed out that North Dakota is surrounded by states with record high positivity rates.

He said, mitigation efforts works, adding that social distancing is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Mask wearing, hygiene and avoid crowds, is an approach the state has been advocating the past seven months.

He announced the Thanksgiving Challenge, with mitigation efforts, and starting improved mitigation efforts now, lowering the transmissible moments of spreading the virus.

He said personal responsibility observing the NDSmart guidelines, will help slowing the spread in North Dakota.  Community leadership among citizens is a great support, and finding a reason to be a part of the solution in mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burgum said he meets regularly with North Dakota mayor and county commissioners, sharing ideas, and what local political subdivisions have implemented to slow the spread of the Virus.

He added that Valley City Mayor, Dave Carlsrud has announced a face mask plan, encouraging but not issue a mandate to wear face masks, including in all outdoors settings where they cannot maintain 6 feet of distance from people outside of their household.

He said North Dakota leads the nation in COVID-19 testing.  He said a number of larger North Dakota cities are receiving saliva test kits, with a quick result.   Long term care facilities will soon be receiving other types of quick result tests from the federal government.

Burgum pointed out the latest COVID-19 statistics from the NDDoH.

NDDoH

COVID-19 Stats

Fri. Oct, 23, 2020

11 am

Barnes

New Positives   3

Total Positives 335

Active Cases 54

Recovered 280

 

Stutsman

New Positives 23

Total Positives 780

Active Cases  120

Recovered  645

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

BY THE NUMBERS

8,538 – Total Tests from Yesterday*

799,305 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

886 – Positive Individuals from Yesterday*****

35,939 – Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

10.98% – Daily Positivity Rate**

 

6,363 Total Active Cases

+13 Individuals from yesterday

864 – Individuals Recovered from Yesterday (686 with a recovery date of yesterday****)

29,135 – Total recovered since the pandemic began

168 – Curren­tly Hospitalized

+12 – Individuals from yesterday

9 – New Deaths*** (440 total deaths since the pandemic began)


INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

  • Man in his 60s from Burleigh County with underlying health conditions.
  • Woman in her 70s from Cass County with underlying health conditions.
  • Woman in her 70s from Morton County with underlying health conditions.
  • Woman in her 90s from Rolette County with underlying health conditions
  • Woman in her 70s from Stark County with underlying health conditions.
  • Man in his 80s from Stark County with underlying health conditions.
  • Woman in her 90s from Stark County with underlying health conditions.
  • Man in his 90s from Stark County with underlying health conditions.
  • Woman in her 70s from Ward County with underlying health conditions.


COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED FRIDAY

 

  • Adams County – 4
  • Barnes County – 3
  • Benson County – 22
  • Bottineau County – 22
  • Bowman County – 3
  • Burke County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 97
  • Cass County – 156
  • Cavalier County – 3
  • Dickey County – 12
  • Divide County – 2
  • Dunn County – 2
  • Eddy County – 17
  • Emmons County – 3
  • Foster County – 2
  • Grand Forks County – 120
  • Grant County – 2
  • Griggs County – 1
  • Hettinger County – 13
  • Kidder County – 6
  • LaMoure County – 3
  • Logan County – 1
  • McHenry County – 7
  • McIntosh County – 6
  • McKenzie County – 9
  • McLean County – 17
  • Mercer County – 57
  • Morton County – 25
  • Mountrail County – 15
  • Nelson County – 2
  • Oliver County – 1
  • Pembina County – 4
  • Pierce County – 4
  • Ramsey County – 15
  • Ransom County – 6
  • Richland County – 21
  • Rolette County – 9
  • Sargent County – 2
  • Sheridan County – 1
  • Sioux County – 3
  • Slope County – 1
  • Stark County – 41
  • Stutsman County – 23
  • Towner County – 3
  • Traill County – 8
  • Walsh County – 13
  • Ward County – 71
  • Wells County – 6
  • Williams County – 21

 

* 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.

**Individuals who tested positive divided by the total number of people tested who have not previously tested positive (susceptible encounters).

*** Number of individuals who tested positive and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19. There is a lag in the time deaths are reported to the NDDoH.
**** The actual date individuals are officially out of isolation and no longer contagious.

*****Totals may be adjusted as individuals are found to live out of state, in another county, or as other information is found during investigation.

 

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 on Friday said at this time he is not adjusting the County Risk Levels, saying at next Thursday’s News Briefing more adjustments will be announced, to given businesses the opportunity to adapt to the recent risk level changes.

With contact tracing, backlogs of cases, have lessened, in cooperation with the North Dakota National Guard, plus the implementation of automated test results for those who have tested.  He hopes that those testing positive will notify close contacts, themselves, including coworkers and others.

A new K-12 COVID school dashboard has been implemented to increase transparency of the impact of the virus on students.

A new K-12 COVID school dashboard has been implemented to increase transparency of the impact of the virus on students.  Health.nd.gov with more specific information.

Burgum said the North Dakota Emergency Commission Friday unanimously approved the reallocation of turned-back federal funding to support the state’s COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, directing nearly $221 million to K-12 school districts, cities and counties, businesses including the hospitality industry, hospitals, and other programs.

North Dakota received $1.25 billion from the Coronavirus Relief Fund as part of the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. The $221 million approved today is what was turned back from the previously allocated federal funding.

The $221 million in turnback included $90 million from the Bank of North Dakota, $50 million from unemployment insurance, $33 million from the Department of Health and $17 million from the Department of Emergency Services.

Under the reallocation approved Friday, K-12 school districts will receive nearly $34 million, on top of the $30 million previously allocated. The $64 million will be paid out directly to school districts utilizing a base payment amount and a per pupil distribution.

Cities and counties will also receive over $61 million, in addition to the $59 million previously distributed as a reimbursement for law enforcement payroll and the $20 million for local public health units.

The North Dakota Department of Health will provide $10 million to the six large referral hospitals in Fargo, Bismarck, Grand Forks and Minot. These hospitals have played a critical role in expanding hospital capacity and providing direct COVID-related care as well as maintaining needed medical care throughout the pandemic.

“This federal funding is being reallocated in a way that positively impacts North Dakota citizens, schools, hospitals, businesses and all levels of state and local government,” Burgum said. “We’re grateful to the legislators, agency leaders and citizens whose input and collaboration have ensured that these funds can be used to minimize the negative impact of COVID-19 and facilitate economic recovery, saving both lives and livelihoods.”

The six-member Emergency Commission consists of four legislative leaders – House Majority Leader Chet Pollert of Carrington, Senate Majority Leader Rich Wardner of Dickinson, House Appropriations Chairman Jeff Delzer of Underwood and Senate Appropriations Chairman Ray Holmberg of Grand Forks – along with Secretary of State Al Jaeger and Burgum as chairman. The proposals must be approved by the Legislature’s Budget Section on Oct. 28.

An additional $49 million will be provided to support business recovery across the state through the Department of Commerce and the Bank of North Dakota. This reallocation of funding includes $29 million to Commerce, in addition to the repurposing of approximately up to $25 million for a total of $54 million to be distributed to businesses within the hospitality and entertainment industries who have been most directly impacted by COVID-19 pandemic guidelines. Businesses receiving these grants will be required to certify that they will adhere to the ND Smart Restart guidelines. The reallocation of funding includes an additional $20 million to the Bank of North Dakota for the COVID Pace Recovery II program.

Other allocations include:

  • $14.8 million for the Department of Human Services, including $8 million to provide child care emergency operations grants, over $3 million for long-term care and skilled nursing facility environmental upgrades, $1.7 million for community-based behavioral health services, and other program funding.
  • $16 million for the North Dakota Industrial Commission for a drilled-but-uncompleted (DUC) well incentive program. These funds were repurposed from an orphan well plugging and reclamation program and are also designed to maintain oil and gas service sector jobs and activity as the industry, which contributes over half of the state’s tax revenue, continues to recover.
  • $13.5 million for the North Dakota Highway Patrol to cover payroll expenses.
  • $9.7 million for Job Service North Dakota to cover reimbursable employers’ costs related to unemployment insurance, including $5.4 million for hospitals and long-term care, $1.2 million for higher education and the remainder for cities and counties, non-profits and others.
  • $5.2 million for the North Dakota University System for environmental and education modifications in response to COVID-19.
  • $8.1 million for other state agencies and political subdivisions, including $2.2 million through the Department of Agriculture to support meat processing plants to address demand for retail meat products.

For more information on North Dakota’s COVID-19 response, visit www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus or www.ndresponse.gov.

North Dakota First Lady Kathryn Burgum updated information on “Recovery Reinvented,” with another event coming up next week.   Recoveryreinvented.com with more information, and for a livestream of the event.

Other CSiNewsNow.com Reminders…

Valley City (CSi)   City County Health in Valley City announces a change in the days, and location of the FREE COVID-19 testing.  Administrator, Terresa Will says testings have moved to Mondays and new location:

Where:  ND Winter Show    700 7th St SE  When:  Monday Oct 26,   1pm-2pm.

Drive  into the east entrance of the South Exhibit building and remain in your vehicle for the test.  After the test, exit through the west doors.

  • Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos
  • Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos
  • Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos
  • Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos Covid 19 Testing Oct 12 at ND Winter Show - CSi News Photos
     

Pre-register on line at testreg.nd.gov

CSi Photos from the Monday Oct 12 testing

City County Health Administrator, Theresa Will says, the new earlier testing time is due to the tests being sent to a lab in North Carolina, being over-nighted by FedEx.

She says  the usual results are sent to the Bismarck lab, however that facility is handling several test samples taken at area long-term care facilities to speed up results for contacting the staff and residents.

For updates related to COVID-19 in North Dakota visit the North Dakota Department of Health website. Or follow the City County Health District FaceBook page for Barnes County updates.

 

Valley City CSi)  People are encouraged and not required to wear a face mask in Valley City during the pandemic or until further notice.

On Oct. 21, 2020, Valley City Mayor Dave Carlsrud signed Emergency Order 2020-05 implementing a Mask Plan for the City of Valley City in accordance with the ND Smart Restart guidelines.

The news release from the City of Valley City:

“On Oct. 21, 2020, Valley City Mayor Dave Carlsrud signed Emergency Order 2020-05 implementing a Mask Plan for the City of Valley City in accordance with the ND Smart Restart guidelines.

The City Mask Plan strongly encourages people in Valley City to wear a face covering over their mouth and nose in buildings where they may encounter people outside of their household and they are unable to keep 6 feet of distance from them. They are also required to wear a mask in all outdoors settings where they cannot maintain 6 feet of distance from people outside of their household.

The City Mask Plan also strongly encourages businesses to follow the ND Smart Restart guidelines, which limits customers in their establishments to 50% capacity with a maximum of 100 people.

Customers entering restaurants, bars, breweries, and similar businesses are encouraged to wear a face covering from the time they enter the building to the time they sit. They should continue to wear their mask if they are not in the process of eating or drinking. Individuals using or operating public transportation should wear a face covering from pickup to arrival at the destination.

The City will actively support property owners who wish to require masks in their buildings.

The City Mask Plan places responsibility on each individual to wear masks to ensure they are not spreading coronavirus and protecting their family, friends, colleagues and fellow community members.

The City Mask Plan takes effect at 5:00 pm on Friday October 23, and will remain in effect until Governor Doug Burgum adjusts Barnes County’s risk level, or Mayor Carlsrud or a majority of the Board of Commissioners decides to change or end the Plan.

The Plan also includes a list of exemptions to the requirement which includes young children, individuals with a medical condition or disability that prevents face coverings, and certain employment, athletic and other activities.

Barnes County is currently in the yellow-moderate risk level under the ND Smart Restart guidelines. This level represents heightened exposure risk. The state advises that social distancing and precautions are needed and that increased cleaning on high-touch surfaces and shared spaces should be routine.

Mayor Carlsrud said, “the City desires to be proactive in the fight against COVID-19 to reverse the trend toward significant community spread and high risk of exposure which could eventually lead to a state mandated closure of businesses.”

Face coverings are required for those walking into city hall offices in Valley City.