ND moves towards ‘endemic’ approach to COVID-19

Gov. Doug Burgum says North Dakota’s coronavirus approach is being shifted from pandemic to an “endemic” phase. The move comes two years after the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the state.

The virus has been ebbing in the state for weeks. The shift will mean fewer updates from health officials and support from the National Guard in the state’s coronavirus response will stop. Diseases are endemic when they occur regularly in certain areas according to established patterns, while a pandemic refers to a global outbreak that causes unpredictable waves of illness.

After a peak of cases in late January due to the omicron variant, North Dakota has seen a steady and significant decrease in both active cases and hospitalizations. Compared with January, the number of new COVID-19 cases in February declined by 73%, hospital admissions decreased by 50% and deaths decreased by 11%.

Since the state’s first coronavirus case was reported, more than 2,200 people in North Dakota have died from it.