JAMESTOWN, N.D. (NewsDakota.com) – Effective Friday, October 30th, the City of Jamestown will implement an Emergency Order necessary to protect both individuals and businesses due to COVID-19.

Mayor Dwaine Heinrich states “due to the increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases being reported in Jamestown, additional safety measures are being enacted in order to protect the public.”

Measures include:

1. Face coverings are required for all public facing retail and service employees, including liquor and eating establishments, while employees may come in contact with the general public. Additionally, all businesses are urged to require face coverings of the general public when entering the establishment

2. The City is requiring that for any gathering or 50 or more people that a plan be submitted to the City that details how the event will keep the public safe. This plan will need to include the contact name, email address, and/or text number of the organizer, location of the event, and the details, including a diagram or narrative on how the event will be set up in a safe manner, and the number of people expected to attend the event. The event organizer should indicate that they have reviewed the ND Smart Restart Large Group Gatherings information at:

https:/ndresponse gov’sites/www.ntes documents/covid. 19/ND% 20Smart 2ORestart/arge Gatherngs/SmartRestart Gatherings.pdf

Event organizers will be asked to keep track of the attendance at the gathering so attendees can be notified if a positive case is found to have attended the event of purposes of contact tracing later. This plan should be submitted to give sufficient time for at least a 48 hour review. The plan will automatically approve unless denied within 48 hours of submission of the plan.

“We hope that these measures will help control the spread of COVID-19 in our community and mean to encourage residents to accept personal responsibility to protect our fellow Jamestown residents,” Mayor Heinrich states. “Stronger measures, including business closures, could be enacted if we don’t do our part to stop the spread.”

There are currently 127 active cases of COVID-19 in Stutsman County. The 14-day positivity rate in the community is increasing. Stutsman County saw a high rate of positivity at 6.4% in prior weeks, but soon decreased to 1.3% and is now going back up. It’s currently at a rate of 5%.