VALLEY CITY, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – There are fifty active cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Barnes County, bringing the total to 124 cases. Theresa Will, Administrator for City-County Health District says the last week has been busy with a jump in positive cases. “We continue to work closely with community partners to help slow the spread, but we need the public to double-down on personal responsibility by wearing masks in public, washing hands, and staying home when sick. The basics are the best defense against this virus,” Will said.

With regular public events being offered on Wednesday afternoons, access to COVID-19 testing in Barnes County has been consistent. Will says that public health units are limited to a certain number of samples that they can provide to the North Dakota Department of Health microbiology lab. “There have been days when we have 200 tests available, and we have 75 or less show up to a testing event. Some days we exhaust our limit in a short time. We are doing our best to meet the demand for testing and will continue to offer free events that are open to the public,” Will explained.

The health district reports turning about fifty cars away from Wednesday’s free testing event at VCSU’s Lokken Stadium. “We don’t like to do it, but we have to work within the state lab’s capacity for daily testing,” said Will. A small-scale, free testing event will be held on Friday, September 4th at City-County Health District from 11:00 am-12:30pm. “If you weren’t able to be tested on Wednesday, please call 845-8518 to pre-register for a spot on Friday the fourth,” she added.

For questions related to COVID-19, the public can call the North Dakota Department of Health hotline at 866-207-2880 or City-County Health Distract at 701-845-8518, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday – Friday. Individuals experiencing a fever and symptoms, such as cough or difficulty breathing, should call their healthcare provider.

For the most timely information and updates related to COVID-19 in North Dakota, visit the ND DoH website at www.healthy.nd.gov/coronavirus. Follow City-County Health District on Facebook for Barnes County updates or call 701-845-8518.

In another news release; The Governor’s Office, in conjunction with the North Dakota Department of Health, has moved Barnes County into the Yellow Risk Level on the COVID-19 Health Guidance Tool. Yellow is considered moderate risk for communities, indicating a level of heightened exposure risk and transmission.

The state provides specific direction to North Dakota residents and businesses through a color-coded health guidance system. The guidance system includes five levels of risk: red, orange, yellow, green, and blue. Each level protects public health and outlines necessary mitigation strategies. This allows community leaders, business leaders, policymakers and the general public to safely determine when a different color of health guidance applies.

“Yellow status means we need to prioritize common sense and personal accountability because Public Health guidance cannot anticipate every unique situation,“ said Theresa Will, Administrator for City-County Health District. “We all need to take personal accountability to be informed and take actions based on common sense and wise judgement that will protect health,” added Will.

The North Dakota Department of Health advises residents to practice universal standards to minimize the risk of the virus. These include but are not limited to the following:
• Stay home when sick
• Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds as frequently as feasible
• Use hand sanitizer after interactions with people or objects
• Cough or sneeze into the sleeve or elbow, not hands
• Clean high-touch surfaces (buttons, door handles, counters, etc.) regularly
• Avoid touching your face
• Use cloth face coverings in public places where social distancing cannot be maintained
• Refrain from hand shaking

For greater detail on the risk level indicator and other COVID-19 resources, visit BeLegendary.link/NDSmartRestart. For the most timely information and updates related to COVID-19 data in North Dakota, visit www.health.nd.gov/coronavirus. Follow City-County Health District on Facebook for Barnes County updates or call 701-845-8518.