Risk levels may elevate for virus hot spots in North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) -

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum says the risk levels for COVID-19 hotspots in the state could be elevated beginning next week if the pandemic continues to worsen.

The Republican governor’s announcement came as active coronavirus cases in North Dakota rose to another new daily high, led by the Bismarck metropolitan area.

Burgum said he wasn’t prepared to amend the state’s “low” risk level under his ND Smart Restart Plan, which provides coronavirus-related protocols for everything schools and businesses to family gatherings.

But he said it could happen on a county-by-county basis soon.

Health officials said the number of active cases was 1,784 on Wednesday, an increase of 103 from the previous high set Tuesday.

North Dakota’s death toll remained at 138 as of Wednesday.