FARGO, N.D. (AP) - North Dakota health officials on Tuesday confirmed 30 new deaths and 24 new hospitalizations due to the coronavirus, a reality check from the last two weeks when the positivity rate of COVID-19 tests had steadily fallen.
The state Department of Health also announced that its daily update of virus cases will include people who take the rapid antigen tests, not just the nasal swab tests that have been employed since early in the pandemic. A dozen people who took the rapid tests eventually died but the health department does not consider them part of the daily report because they were spread out among the last two months.
The change in reporting comes on advice from the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists.
The daily high for deaths was 37 on Nov. 24. Health officials noted that death totals are usually higher on Tuesdays due to carryover counts from the weekend, and 13 of the fatalities were outside the lag period of up to three days.
Even so, hospitalizations increased to 328 in a state that is already running low on health care space and workers. And the daily positivity rate jumped above 11% after several days in single digits. Antigen tests are not included in positivity figures because not every facility is reporting them, health officials said.
“We have had reason to be hopeful lately, but we are still seeing high numbers of hospitalizations and a high number of deaths and that means that we can’t let our guard down,” health department spokeswoman Nicole Peske said in a statement. “North Dakotans can continue to bend the curve and help our friends in health care by making the choice to wear a face covering, not go to large holiday parties, participate in virtual events, etc.”
Officials said 586 people tested positive in the last day, ending a streak of four days of consecutive drops. A total of 85,688 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
Fargo Mayor Tim Mahoney said the high number of deaths and hospitalizations listed Tuesday are the result of COVID-19 counts from two weeks ago and he’s optimistic that deaths and hospitalizations will begin to taper off.
“Those should be progressively dropping because we have had less cases,” Mahoney said. “I’ve been really pleased, to be honest with you. Because people are being more cautious and careful, we are seeing great improvements of our numbers.”
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