Bismarck, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – New numbers out from the North Dakota Department of Health show a jump in confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the state.

On Wednesday the number of confirmed cases grew by 2 to 7.  The Department of Health now says North Dakota has 15 confirmed cases (3-19), with a spike in Burleigh County.

Here are the numbers by County:

Burleigh 9, Cass 1, Morton 3, and Ward with 2.

Below is the news release from the NDDOH:

State health officials confirm eight additional cases of COVID-19 in North Dakota, make changes to testing prioritization

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Health (NDDOH) today confirmed eight additional cases of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in residents from Burleigh and Morton counties. Six individuals have a history of travel and two individuals are community spread. So far in North Dakota, 508 individuals have been tested, 493 were negative, 15 are positive and 1 of the individuals is hospitalized.

Individuals who tested positive:

Morton County

• Man in his 60s

Burleigh County

• Woman in her 50s
• Man in his 70s
• Man in his 40s
• Woman in her 20s
• Man in his 30s
• Woman in her 20s
• Man in his 60s

“In the last 24 hours our numbers have doubled,” said State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte. “This underscores the importance of practicing social distancing and following the President’s recommendations to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

Gov. Doug Burgum, Tufte and state health officials strongly recommend North Dakotans to follow the guidelines released by the White House on Monday to slow the spread of coronavirus, including:

• Stay home and don’t go to work if you feel sick.
• Practice good hygiene: wash your hands, avoid touching your face and cover coughs and sneezes.
• If someone in the household has tested positive for coronavirus, keep the entire household at home.
• Older individuals and those with underlying health conditions should stay away from other people.
• Work from home when possible.
• Avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people.
• Avoid eating or drinking in bars, restaurants and food courts – use drive-thru, pickup or delivery options.
• Avoid discretionary travel, shopping trips and social visits.

To address the shortage of nylon swabs, the NDDoH has recommended to health care providers that testing be prioritized for the following groups:

• Patients hospitalized with respiratory illness
• Those living or working in congregate settings
• Health care workers
• Testing for public health investigators and contact tracing

Individuals who think they may have COVID-19 but have minor symptoms should self-isolate at home. Individuals seeking medical attention should call before they go in. Symptoms of COVID-19 in people who have been exposed can include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure. Reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying.

Burgum and State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler will hold a press conference at 4 p.m. today at the NDDoH, 1720 Burlington Drive, Bismarck to discuss the plans for K-12 education. The press conference will be livestreamed on the NDDoH Facebook Page.

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