ND coronavirus cases higher than reported

There’s no way to know how many North Dakotans have been infected with the coronavirus but health officials say it’s far higher than the 13% confirmed through testing.   University of North Dakota Med School Dean Dr-Joshua Wynne says that’s because some people who got sick never got tested and others were asymptomatic.

Wynne says health measures like masks and social distancing have played a role in the recent slowing of COVID-19.  At the same time the state’s downturn in active cases may be the beginning of a little herd immunity.

Wynne told members of the North Dakota Higher Ed Board today (Thursday) that given the pace of the vaccine rollout he recommends campuses maintain all current safety measures through the spring semester.  “I would say a sort of red light for the current semester…yellow or caution for the summer…and a new green light for the fall.”

Wynne says he believes by summer a large segment of the population of North Dakota will be protected because they either had the virus or were vaccinated.