(CSi)  Gov. Doug Burgum held a press briefing with the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) Wednesday afternoon, providing an update on the COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota.

Guest speakers included Molly Howell, NDDoH Immunization Program Manager, and Dr. Christie Massen, NDDoH Chief Laboratory Officer.

Burgum said the COVID-19 fight is a “marathon,” rather than a sprint, and the “finish line,” is still unknown.  He pointed out that last month the statewide risk level had been lowered from moderate to low risk.  With hospital capacity, Burgum said, hospitalizations  in North Dakota due to COVID is dropping, since the peak in November,  2020.  He said North Dakota is in the top five in the U.S. for testing, and second for vaccine doses administered.

North Dakota is listed as the second safest state in the U.S. regarding COVID-19, number one in the contiguous states.

The Vaccine Locator is on the NDDoH website. The vaccine locator shows where COVID-19 vaccine is available in your area, who they are currently vaccinating, how to contact them, and more. The vaccine locator can be found at www.health.nd.gov/covidvaccinelocator. In addition, individuals 65 and older who don’t have access to the internet can reach out to the Public Health Hotline at 866-207-2880 to get resources and request assistance in finding a COVID-19 vaccine.   As vaccinations continue to be administered across North Dakota, many areas are beginning to vaccinate 65 and older. The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) is encouraging North Dakotans to help family, friends and neighbors who are 65 and older connect with a COVID-19 vaccine. Whether it’s getting on a waiting list or scheduling an appointment, you can help someone in need of COVID-19 vaccine receive it as quickly as possible.

Burgum said, long-term care visitations are increasing, as schools are increasingly offering in class learning.  Long-term care visitation rules are coming for the most part from federal officials, based on the type of facility.

 

COVID-19 Stats

Posted Wed. Feb. 10, 2021

Barnes:

New Positives  0

Total Positives 1281

Active 3

Recovered 1243

 

Stutsman

New Positives  6

Total Positives 3263

Active 18

Recovered 3159

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

Please note that from now on the daily news release will be sent Monday – Friday. The NDDoH dashboard will continue to be updated daily.

BY THE NUMBERS

89,313 – Residents who received at least one dose of vaccine

141,267 – Total COVID-19 vaccine doses administered

 

7,121 – Total Tests from yesterday*

1,570,450 – Total tests completed since the pandemic began

145 – Positive Individuals from yesterday*****

71 PCR Tests | 74 Antigen Tests
98,214 Total positive individuals since the pandemic began

2.59% – Daily Positivity Rate** 

 

759 – Total Active Cases

+25 Individuals from yesterday

112 – with a recovery date of yesterday****

96,026 Total recovered since the pandemic began

34 – Currently Hospitalized   

-3 Individuals from yesterday 

 

2 – New Deaths*** (1,429 total deaths since the pandemic began)

 

INDIVIDUALS WHO DIED WITH COVID-19

  • Man in his 70s from Kidder County. 
  • Woman in her 60s from Morton County.

 

COUNTIES WITH NEW POSITIVE CASES REPORTED WEDNESDAY

  • Benson County – 1
  • Bottineau County – 1
  • Burke County – 1
  • Burleigh County – 36
  • Cass County – 17
  • Dickey County – 2
  • Foster County – 2 
  • Golden Valley County – 1
  • Grand Forks County – 10
  • Hettinger County – 1
  • McHenry County – 2
  • Mercer County – 2
  • Morton County – 3
  • Mountrail County – 1
  • Nelson County – 3
  • Pembina County – 1
  • Ramsey County – 2
  • Richland County – 2
  • Rolette County – 6
  • Sargent County – 1
  • Sheridan County – 1
  • Stark County – 10
  • Steele County – 2
  • Stutsman County – 6
  • Towner County – 1
  • TraillCounty – 2  
  • Walsh County – 2 
  • Ward County – 16
  • Wells County – 1  
  • Williams County – 9

 

* Note that this includes PCR and antigen; it does not include individuals from out of state. 

**Individuals (PCR or antigen) 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 with a PCR or antigen test and died from any cause while infected with COVID-19. Please remember that deaths are reported as they’re reported to us by the facility or through the official death record (up to 10-day delay). 

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

*****Daily positive numbers include people who tested with a PCR or antigen test. 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.

Molly Howell, NDDoH Immunization Program Manager, gave an update on vaccine distribution, 79.2 percent of the vaccine received has been administered, with more Modera, and Pfizer vaccine doses are coming to North Dakota, with allocations from the U.S. government.

Pfizer doses with be a six dose vile, from a five dose vile.

Earlier this week, the NDDoH Vaccine Dashboard listed more COVID-19 vaccines administered than the state received. This wasn’t a mistake: vaccination sites were using the “angel doses” in vaccine vials to make sure as many people as possible received the vaccine!

 

She repeated that,  the Vaccine Locator is on the NDDoH website. The vaccine locator shows where COVID-19 vaccine is available in your area, who they are currently vaccinating, how to contact them, and more. The vaccine locator can be found at www.health.nd.gov/covidvaccinelocator. In addition, individuals 65 and older who don’t have access to the internet can reach out to the Public Health Hotline at 866-207-2880 to get resources and request assistance in finding a COVID-19 vaccine.   As vaccinations continue to be administered across North Dakota, many areas are beginning to vaccinate 65 and older. The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) is encouraging North Dakotans to help family, friends and neighbors who are 65 and older connect with a COVID-19 vaccine. Whether it’s getting on a waiting list or scheduling an appointment, you can help someone in need of COVID-19 vaccine receive it as quickly as possible.

Thrifty White Pharmacy is receiving federal doses of COVID-19 vaccine beginning this week. Visit the Thrifty White Pharmacy website to see if there’s a Thrifty White Pharmacy near you with vaccine available and clinic slots open.

She said, “It’s possible that you may not be able to receive your vaccine from your usual provider. North Dakotans should check the vaccine locator for doses available in their area and follow the instructions provided by the provider.”

North Dakotans should also continue to watch their local media and social media channels for health care facilities, pharmacies and local public health departments for more information on the status of vaccine administration in their area.

 

For more information, visit the NDDoH COVID-19 vaccine webpage at health.nd.gov/covidvaccine.

She added that the Johnson & Johnson’s COVID vaccine is still under consideration for distribution, by the Food & Drug Administration, possibly for distribution in March this year, that only requires one dose to be effective.

She said the CDC has announced that those who have been exposed to COVID-19 no longer have to be quarantined, if they have had two doses of the vaccine, and the last dose has been within two weeks prior to exposure.

Dr. Christie Massen, NDDoH Chief Laboratory Officer, said, coronavirus variances may be in the state but not yet identified.  Those include variances from South Africa, and Brazil. She said, a random sample of North Dakota positives is being sent to the CDC for review.

She said to continue to stay safe under protocols, including continuing to wear masks, social distance along with frequent hand washing with soap and water, and sanitizing.

Burgum pointed out the Antibody testing remains available, along with other therapeutics.

Burgum added that the North Dakota Department of Commerce has announced that the Hospitality Economic Resiliency Grant (HERG) application window is now open and restaurants that have not previously applied for the grant are highly encouraged to apply through Feb. 25.

North Dakota has 3,400 restaurant and bar licenses throughout the state.

Commerce has $30 million HERG dollars available to assist remaining eligible businesses that lost revenue due to COVID-19.

Due to the continuing need of assistance, Commerce created the HERG to focus on reimbursing hospitality businesses that were directly impacted by Executive Order 2020-06. This includes all restaurants, bars, breweries, cafes and similar on-site dining establishments.

Eligible entities also include theaters, drama, music and entertainment venues and professional production companies that support major venues, meetings and events.

NDResponse.gov as more information.

 

In other state updates, In an effort to improve rural health care in North Dakota, The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has awarded the North Dakota Department of Health (NDDoH) a $4.3 million grant designed to equip law enforcement officers statewide with the next generation “connected” Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs).

The Helmsley North Dakota Law Enforcement AED Project will supply approximately 1,700 devices to local, state, tribal, and federal North Dakota Law Enforcement agencies.

One of Helmsley’s Rural Healthcare Program initiatives is to fund projects that connect rural populations to the latest medical therapies in remote areas. The AEDs selected for distribution throughout the state utilize the latest breakthroughs in defibrillation technology.

The NDDoH Division of Emergency Medical Systems is overseeing the project. The new devices will be placed, and training conducted, during the first quarter of 2021. AEDs previously used by some agencies may be relocated throughout communities increasing the number of AEDs accessible to the public.

For more information, contact the Division of Emergency Medical Systems, NDDoH, at 701-328-2388.