Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (2) – 11/11/20
As COVID-19 cases surge across the country, northernmost states, including the Dakotas, Wyoming, Wisconsin and Montana, are seeing the most cases per 100,000 people, according to the Washington Post tracker. North Dakota this week announced that their hospitals have reached 100 percent capacity and in response, Gov. Doug Burgum has allowed asymptomatic hospital staff to continue working in the midst of a staff shortage. Hospitals in the state have already implemented their surge plans, but project that beds and space to keep patients will soon reach their limit. This follows Burgum’s refusal to implement virus-related shutdowns, saying that that “shutting down the economy doesn’t necessarily slow the spread” of the virus. North Dakota has reported the most COVID-19 cases and deaths per capita in the nation over the last week—nearly 400 people are hospitalized statewide.
