North Dakota officials announced the state has reported no new COVID-19 deaths for two consecutive days and continues to see a decrease in hospitalizations.
Health officials announced that the number of patients receiving care in the state’s medical facilities is 72, down 13 from two days ago. Ten patients are being treated in intensive care units, while the state’s hospital tracker shows 34 available ICU beds and 371 staffed inpatient beds available in the state.
The state’s total number of fatalities linked to coronavirus complications is now 1,352, which Johns Hopkins University ranks as the sixth-highest death rate per capita in the country, at 178 deaths per 100,000 residents.
Health officials also announced that North Dakota’s test positivity rate stands at 3.16%. The state has recorded a total of 94,716 cases since the pandemic began.
North Dakota has a statewide mask mandate that is still in effect until Jan. 18, with business capacity restrictions remaining in place until Jan. 29. Violators of the rules face fines of up to $1,000, with repeat violators subject to a fine of up to $1,500 and 30 days in jail.
The news comes as Mayo Clinic data show cases continue to rise in most areas of the country. The latest numbers available show 72 new cases per 100,000 people nationwide as of Jan. 9, an increase from 57 per 100,000 people at the start of the year.
