BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Wednesday risk levels for COVID-19 hotspots in the state could be elevated beginning next week if the pandemic continues to worsen.
The Republican governor’s announcement came as active coronavirus cases in North Dakota rose to another new daily high, led by the Bismarck metropolitan area.
Burgum said he wasn’t prepared to amend the state’s “low” risk level under his ND Smart Restart Plan, which provides coronavirus-related protocols for everything schools and businesses to family gatherings. But he said it could happen on a county-by-county basis soon.
“We are going to be working with local officials on potential moves next week,” Burgum said. “Stay tuned.”
The risk levels only set specific guidelines and are not mandates or “legally enforceable,” Burgum said.
Health officials said the number of active cases was 1,784 on Wednesday, an increase of 103 from the previous high set Tuesday. North Dakota’s death toll remained at 138 as of Wednesday.
North Dakota health officials reported 238 new positive COVID-19 cases, including 64 cases in Burleigh County and 12 in neighboring Morton County. The counties that include the Bismarck metropolitan area have been state’s hot spot for the virus in recent weeks and account for about 30% of the state’s active cases.
The number of North Dakota patients currently hospitalized was 53 on Wednesday, up three from Tuesday. There were 135 new recoveries reported, bringing the total number to 8,545 since the pandemic began.
Burgum continues to maintain that overall the state is in a good position because of increased testing, low daily positivity rates and the availability of hospital beds and treatment options. He has frequently emphasized individual responsibility, local decision making and only a “light touch” by government.
Burgum has long said his preference has been to keep the state under a single risk level. But he said Wednesday raising risk levels on a county-by-county basis “could be a strong signal to come counties they need to pay more attention to compliance.”
Burgum last month announced a task force for Burleigh and Morton counties, similar to one he announced in May in Cass County and Fargo metropolitan area, where local leaders and others successfully concentrated on beefing up testing efforts, particularly in long-term care facilities.
Bismarck-Burleigh Public Health Director Renae Moch said in an interview some task force members feel it’s contradictory to place the state in a low-risk category when the coronavirus crisis is worsening.
“I know there are task force members who are frustrated and feel credibility is a concern,” said Moch, a member of the task force.
Moch said the mixed messaging likely is helping to contribute to the pronounced rise of confirmed coronavirus infections around North Dakota’s capital city and elsewhere because many citizens aren’t taking seriously precautions to minimize the risk of spreading the disease.
Lax attitudes and large gatherings “without precautions in place is having an impact on our numbers,” she said.
Moch said the state’s color-coded risk level should be elevated from green, or low risk, to yellow, or moderate risk, for the entire state.
“Based on the numbers we are seeing in our state, I think we should,” she said.
Burgum last week announced the resignation of his newly appointed top health officer, Dr. Andrew Stahl.
Burgum said Stahl’s resignation had nothing to do with the doctor’s desire to increase the risk level for COVID-19 hotspots in the state. Burgum said Stahl resigned due to family, financial and career considerations, not because of any disagreements with the administration over the state’s worsening coronavirus pandemic.
Stahl has declined interview requests.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.