A brief examination of statewide and campus-wide cases

As mass testings across the state wrapped up before classes started, North Dakota is seeing a steady increase of COVID-19 cases.

Thursday and Friday marked a new high for the total number of active cases so far as active positives topped 2,000. As of Aug. 31, the total number of confirmed cases in North Dakota was 11,816.

Cass county has remained the county with the most cases in North Dakota throughout the pandemic, making up 3,526 of the total confirmed cases yesterday.

As of Aug. 31, North Dakota State University has 72 total confirmed positive cases with 65 students currently quarantined in university housing within the past two weeks.

NDSU held a mass testing event on Aug. 18-23 which was open to all staff and students even if they weren’t showing any symptoms.

Casey Peterson, the Dean of Students, stated in an email sent out to all students last week that the mass testing event “served their purpose,” as it helped determine a range of asymptomatic cases.

Another mass testing event available to students and staff took place on Aug. 28. It is currently not determined when another testing event open to NDSU students and staff will happen.

Students who test positive should self-report to NDSU by filling out an NDSU reporting form found on the COVID-19 cases and reporting procedures page. This will help the university keep track of the number of cases and utilize contact tracing in order to inform others who need to quarantine and monitor their symptoms.

NDSU has also set aside isolation rooms in dormitories on campus for students including all of North Weible Hall.

Throughout the rest of the state, Bismark and Grand Forks have seen increases in the amounts of active COVID-19 cases as universities have opened back up.

As of Monday, the University of North Dakota currently has 211 cases bringing the total amount of COVID-19 cases in Grand Forks county up to 1,482.

Burleigh county reported 2,016 cases on Aug. 31 while Bismarck State College reported 9 total active cases with one on-campus resident case, six off-campus student cases and two BSC employee cases.

The North Dakota Department of Health has been taking steps to ensure adequate contact tracing as the Care19 Alert app is available for download. The app is described as using Bluetooth proximity technology which will notify you if you’ve likely come in contact with someone who has tested positive.

To stay up to date on current COVID-19 cases, visit https://www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus/north-dakota-coronavirus-cases