By Associated Press - Friday, March 13, 2020

BISMARCK N.D. (AP) - North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum said Friday he has declared a state of emergency to combat the new coronavirus pandemic, but he said schools will remain open.

Burgum told reporters the declaration give him the ability to activate the National Guard if necessary. But he said unlike other states, North Dakota will keep K-12 schools open.

“We are making decisions based on facts, not on fear,” Burgum said. He said younger people apparently are not as affected by the virus that causes COVID-19, and closing schools would force children to stay with elderly grandparents who are more susceptible to the disease.

North Dakota has confirmed only one case of the disease. Ten more tests were completed Friday but all were negative, Burgum said.

Health officials said the Ward County man in his 60s traveled to the East Coast and had contact with a person who also tested positive for the disease. He has isolated himself at home and his symptoms appear to be mild.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks.

In response to the pandemic, Sanford Health has a new visitor policy at its facilities. The policy effective Friday restricts all visitors to immediate family members and allows only one visitor at a time.

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Follow AP coverage of the virus outbreak at https://apnews.com/VirusOutbreak and https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak

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The Associated Press receives support for health and science coverage from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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