Governor Addresses Coronavirus in ND

North Dakota has its first official case of coronavirus.

Governor Burgum made the announcement at a press conference Thursday morning.

The infected individual is a Ward County man in his sixties who had recently traveled out of state. The patient is under observation.

The patient's case is reportedly mild and was apparently caught during out-of-state travel, two factors the governor cited as hopeful. 14 tests are pending in the state at this time (Thursday).

The governor offered his share of the expected advice: “We know in North Dakota people care about each other and try to help, and bring hotdish because we’re a caring state. How we think about our actions, think before we act, call before you drop by,” he said.

The advice boiled down to two points: wash your hands thoroughly, and avoid unnecessary social contact.

The governor told Joel Heitkamp on SuperTalk 1270's News and Views that the state currently has about five hundred testing kits. While he did not rule out government intervention in the event a significant number of workers are sent home, he expressed confidence in the market to handle the situation.

In a more controversial move, Mr. Burgum complimented the Trump administration in their handling of the pandemic.

[Sources: KXMB, KFGO Radio]