North Dakota: November 24, 2020

Un-lump PCR specimens and encounters from NDs data download files, and backfill antigen specimens. Also update frozen negatives

The state started reporting probables cases, and published a time series for confirmed and probables cases (starting in the beginning of October, 2020). We're using this data to backfill the Positive Cases (PCR), positive and probable cases metrics

On December 9, 2020, North Dakota reported that their deaths included those who had a positive PCR or antigen test. We were previously capturing positive deaths as confirmed and presumptive deaths as probable, but since it is now clear that they include antigen and PCR positives, and since North Dakota does not call these confirmed deaths, we are now reporting these deaths as Deaths (confirmed + probable).

On December 9, 2020, North Dakota reported that their deaths included those who had a positive PCR or antigen test. We were previously capturing positive deaths as confirmed, but since it is now clear that they include antigen and PCR positives, and since North Dakota does not call these confirmed deaths, we are now reporting these deaths as Deaths (confirmed + probable).

Over the past week, a gap has opened between the number of COVID-19 deaths North Dakota's health department reports and The COVID Tracking Project’s counts of deaths in the state. On November 30, North Dakota’s health department dashboard reported 927 cumulative COVID-19 deaths, but The COVID Tracking Project recorded 680. This is because we track deaths due to COVID, instead of deaths among cases in the state.

It’s clear that a reporting backlog is to blame for most of the widening discrepancy between figures: The share of COVID-19-positive individuals who died in North Dakota with death certificates still pending has doubled since the beginning of November. To better reflect the reality of rising deaths in North Dakota, we are changing our method for counting deaths in the state to the other main paradigm for tracking deaths: counting deaths among cases.

daily push