Name: COVID-19 confirmed in 2 Morton County residents; first evidence of community transmission
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COVID-19 confirmed in 2 Morton County residents; first evidence of community transmission

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Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisCOVID-19 confirmed in 2 Morton County residents; first evidence of community transmissionShare thisThe North Dakota Department of Health has confirmed two more cases of&nbsp;the disease that results from the new coronavirus and said it is the first evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in the state.The new cases are both in Morton County -- a woman in her 30s and a female in the age range of 10-19. Neither was hospitalized, and both are self-isolating at home."They're our first two cases of community spread," Gov. Doug Burgum said at an afternoon press conference. He went on to add that "the patients had no travel history and no contact with other persons who had been confirmed to have COVID-19."State health officials are working to identify other people who might have come into close contact with the two&nbsp;Morton County residents. Those people will be asked to self-monitor for fever and respiratory symptoms.The cases confirmed Wednesday bring the state's total to seven. Two others are in Burleigh County, two are in Ward County and one is in Cass County. The first five cases involved people who had traveled out of state, some internationally. None has been hospitalized. All are recovering at home.The health department as of Wednesday had tested 362 North Dakotans for the virus, with 355 coming back negative. Burgum said Tuesday that testing capacity in the state continues to build, and both he and&nbsp;State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte said&nbsp;officials anticipate more cases in the coming weeks.Positive cases so far have been in North Dakota's most heavily populated areas. Together, Burleigh, Cass, Ward and Morton counties have more than 376,000 people, according to&nbsp;U.S. Census Bureau statistics.North Dakota's first confirmed case was on March 11. Four more were confirmed Tuesday. The other cases:-- A Burleigh County man in his 50s who had traveled domestically.-- A Burleigh County woman in her 20s who had traveled internationally.&nbsp;-- A Cass County woman in her 20s&nbsp;who had traveled internationally.-- A Ward County man in his 60s who had traveled internationally.-- A Ward County man in his 60s who had traveled to the East Coast.Tufte on Wednesday again urged North Dakotas to take basic precautions.&nbsp;“If you are sick, you need to stay home. If you are being tested for COVID-19 or a family member is, you need to stay home until your test results are in,” she said. “Self-isolating, washing your hands and keeping 6 feet away from other individuals is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”State health officials also are asking anyone returning from cruise ship travel or from skiing in Colorado -- an area Tufte said had known community spread -- to self-isolate and self-report on the health department's website, at:&nbsp;.The Associated Press reported Wednesday that South Dakota's public health lab has halted testing for the coronavirus due to a shortage of supplies caused by a nationwide shortage of enzymes and reagents, which are used for chemical analysis, according to Gov. Kristi Noem.North Dakota’s state lab has the capability to do 1,800 tests, but nylon testing swabs are in short supply in the state, according to Tufte. She and Burgum said a deal might be in the works with South Dakota.“Gov. Noem and I have been in contact today,” Burgum said.&nbsp; “Let’s just say they are short of reagents, and we are short of swabs, then collaborating across the two states, maybe we can help each other out."North Dakota’s public schools are shut down this week, under a Sunday order by Burgum. A decision is expected Thursday on whether classes will resume next week, he said.In the meantime, “we have also developed resources and guidance on online learning and virtual instructions,” State Superintendent Kirsten Baesler said.Implementing that might require an executive order by Burgum, she said.“Currently there is no authority in North Dakota law that will allow online or virtual instruction to replace traditional classroom instruction time,” Baesler said.What is the coronavirus? The coronavirus outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 and has spread worldwide. The new virus causes a disease known as COVID-19. The virus is part of a larger family of coronaviruses, which can lead to illnesses ranging from a mild common cold to more severe respiratory diseases such as SARS and MERS. Who is at risk and what are the symptoms? Public health experts say the new coronavirus is more contagious than the seasonal flu. The majority of people who become sick experience mild symptoms, but some become more seriously ill. People who contract the virus can develop pneumonia, and some have died. People who are elderly or have underlying medical issues are at greater risk of becoming more severely sick. Symptoms of the virus include a cough, fever and shortness of breath. What should I do if I develop symptoms? The North Dakota Department of Health advises that people call their health care provider to tell them about recent travel or exposure, and to follow their guidance. Try to avoid contact with other people in the meantime. What can I do to prevent the virus from spreading? The health department advises that people wash their hands with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for at least 20 seconds. People who are sick should stay home from work or school, both to protect themselves and others with whom they would come in contact. Avoid touching your face, cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue or an elbow, clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces, and avoid contact with people who are sick. Where can I find more information? People with coronavirus-related questions can call the state health department hotline at 866-207-2880. Those who need medical advice should contact their health care provider. The health department's online coronavirus page:&nbsp; The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's online coronavirus page:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Reach Blake Nicholson at 701-250-8266 or .In this SeriesSign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.{{title}}{{summary}}You don't have any notifications.Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.Topics

Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.Please subscribe to keep reading. You can cancel at any time.Loading&amp;hellp;{{title}}{{description}}{{banner}}(renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax){{tagline}}{{special_title}}{{html}}You are the owner of this article.You have permission to edit this article.© 2022 Lee EnterprisesShare ThisCOVID-19 confirmed in 2 Morton County residents; first evidence of community transmissionShare thisThe North Dakota Department of Health...

COVID-19 confirmed in 2 Morton County residents; first evidence of community transmission

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