North Dakota adds 124 new cases

BISMARCK — The North Dakota Department of Health announced Saturday, July 25, that 124 individuals have tested positive for COVID-19. No additional deaths were reported, holding the statewide total at 99.

It was the first time since Tuesday, July 22, that active case numbers dropped. After numbers reached an all-time high of 970 Friday, that number dropped to 966 behind the 126 individuals who have successfully recovered from the illness that has claimed more than 145,000 lives nationwide. After investigation, it was also determined that two cases from Cass County came from individuals out of state, and thus removed from the total.

The positivity rate of 3% is roughly in line with this week’s average of 2.7% after 4,181 tests were completed Friday. The total number of people in the state who have now tested positive sits at 5,736.

The state is coming off a record-high 160 cases from Wednesday and a message from Gov. Doug Burgum that the state is, “not heading in the right direction,” referencing rises in active cases and hospitalizations. Despite the higher numbers, Burgum said he would not issue a statewide mandatory mask order like Minnesota, but encouraged individuals to wear a mask in public places to slow the spread.

Of the new cases reported by the health department, 34 came from Burleigh County, which now has 227 active cases, while Cass County, which has the most reported cases at 2,765, had just nine people test positive Friday, bringing the active cases in the Fargo area to 135.

Twelve cases were reported in Morton County, which now has 218 cases, while another 10 cases were added in Stark County, home to the Dickinson area, which now has 142 confirmed cases. Twenty-eight counties in the state reported a positive case Friday.

Another important number to pay attention to with the rising numbers are the hospitalization rates. Two additional individuals were hospitalized, with 39 people in the state currently hospitalized. In all, 328 people have been hospitalized.

Of the state’s deaths, 65 have come from individuals inside long term care facilities and nursing homes. Currently, there are 77 active cases among those facilities. St. Vincent’s Care Center in Bismarck has eight active positive cases among staff, and three active cases among residents.

Burgum, along with the health department also referenced serial tests, also known as retests. In a tweet, Burgum said between March 31 and July 24, 1,182 of the positive cases in the state came from retests, amounting to over 21% of the total positive cases in the state.

Of the state’s 144,260 unique tests (individuals who have been tested just once), 138,524 have come back negative, and of the total positive cases, 4,671 have recovered.

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