Is North Dakota Ready For Coronavirus?

North Dakota's health officials say they have a plan to deal with the coronavirus threat.

Here's the latest on the state's been doing...

West Dakota Fox reported this week that the Department of Health has been partnering with the CDC to set up "the only in-state laboratory that can test patients for the coronavirus."

(The CDC says giving the states the ability to test for the disease independently allows for a faster response to changing developments.)

Health facilities around the state, such as Sanford in Bismarck and Trinity in Minot have been making their own preparations.

The State Department of Health website is keeping tabs on the progress of the disease in the state. As of February 29, no one in the state has been reported infected, but the department is monitoring nine potential high-risk individuals.

Sanford has also published a page offering tips on how to minimize the risk for yourself and your family; see that here. The most obvious and helpful advice is something your parents in their wisdom told you to do: wash your hands frequently.

[Source: Sanford, North Dakota Department of Health, Health ND Coronavirus Progress Site, West Dakota Fox News.]