JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDAkota.com) – Stutsman County remained in the green category following the Governors announcement of changes to the COVID-19 risk levels for 21 of North Dakota’s 53 counties under the ND Smart Restart plan.
The 14 day rolling Statewide positivity rate for North Dakota is 4.9. Stutsman County is reporting a 4.7 positivity rate as of 9-3-2020.
Stutsman County has seen an increase in the number of positive cases this past week. There have been 268 positive cases reported since March 2020.
“The increase in number of positives is impacting our local business community due to the number of employees who are testing positive or becoming close contacts to positive cases”, says Robin Iszler, Unit Administrator at Central Valley Health District. Iszler states “that many of the increases in positives in Stutsman County are due to people participating in social gatherings.”
Central Valley is recommending that everyone use extra precautions this weekend by limiting social interactions to 15 minutes or less, wearing masks, and stay 6 feet apart. “It is important to practice these safety measures in order to keep our schools and businesses open in Stutsman County and to keep our risk category at the green level.”
Iszler also encourages anyone who is ill to stay home. “People are experiencing a variety of symptoms from COVID when they test positive.” The symptoms include: slight fevers, runny nose, cough, body aches, and headache. These symptoms are much like the common cold or allergies. One unique symptom is the loss of taste or smell that usually occurs a few days after the onset of symptoms begins. Iszler states that the only way to know if you have the coronavirus is to be tested.
Testing is available in the community and CVHD offers testing on Fridays at the Jamestown Civic Center from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. The next testing events will be September 4, 11, 18 and 25. To participate you must pre-register at testreg.nd.gov. If you have registered once you do not need to register again.
The event is being assisted by the North Dakota National Guard.
Local clinics in Jamestown are also doing COVID testing. You must call the clinic for details on when testing is available.