BISMARCK, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – It was a record day for North Dakota in regards to COVID-19 results for the state.
Governor Doug Burgum gave his first COVID-19 press briefing after being elected for his second term. He immediately began by reporting North Dakota had record numbers since the pandemic began.
Burgum stressed the need to slow the spread of the virus, bringing up hospital capacity across the state.
Chris Jones, executive director of the state Department of Human Services, says the healthcare system is at one of its most stressed times.
Burgum has avoided statewide mandates, instead stressing a personal responsibility message for such things as wearing masks and social distancing. He stressed that again Thursday.
On Thursday, he raised the coronavirus risk level in several North Dakota counties and none remain in the lowest risk categories.
The governor moved eight counties from moderate risk to high under the state’s coronavirus management protocols for everything from businesses to family gatherings. Thirty-three of North Dakota’s 53 counties are now in the highest risk category. The guidance for high-risk counties includes limiting businesses occupancy to 25% with a cap of 50 people and encouraging businesses to require masks. The guidelines are only recommendations and not enforced.
Burgum raised the alert level to high Barnes, Grant, Kidder, Pembina, Rolette, Stutsman, Traill and Wells counties. He also raised the risk levels for 14 counties from low to moderate risk. They are Billings, Burke, Cavalier, Divide, Griggs, Logan, Oliver, Pierce, Ransom, Renville, Sargent, Sheridan, Slope and Steele counties.
Earlier Thursday, health officials reported a daily high of 29 deaths, pushing the state’s death toll from the virus to 596, with more than half occurring since Oct. 1. The death count is the 12th highest per capita in the country at about 75 deaths per 100,000 people, according to The COVID Tracking Project.
Health officials said 231 people were being treated in medical facilities across the state, up 11 from the previous high set Wednesday. There were 14 staffed intensive care beds and 159 staffed inpatient beds available on Thursday.
Health officials reported 1,540 new cases of COVID-19 across the state, for a total of nearly 50,000 since the start of the pandemic. The positivity rate topped 17% on Thursday, the second-highest rate since the pandemic began.