Virus shutters local schools
Like their peers in around 30 other states in the U.S., North Dakota students are staying home from class this week as a precautionary measure against COVID-19.
A f t er advi s ing on Friday that state schools would remain open for the time being in the face of coronavirus, N.D. Governor Doug Burgum reversed the decision late on Sunday.
Referencing input from school superintendents and the N.D. Department of Health, Burgum issued an executive order Sunday night that all schools in the state would be closed this
week. Burgum said the closure would allow the state time to analyze the situation more thoroughly. “We remain in a state of calm and continue to base our
decisions on fact, not fear,” Burgum said. “We want to work through the situation, gain understanding and make sure we’re driven by data and solid strategies.”
The status of schools in the state will be evaluated during the next few days, with an announcement expected later in the week. A s o f T u e s d a y , North Dakota has had
one conf irmed case of coronavirus -- a Ward County man who tested positive last week after traveling.
