North Dakota plant shut down for day because of sick worker

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s largest manufacturing operation said it shut its doors for a day to undergo a deep cleaning because an employee reported symptoms of the coronavirus.

Stacey Breuer, a spokeswoman for the Doosan Bobcat plant in Gwinner, said in a statement that the employee last worked a week ago in an isolated area of the building. The worker had direct interaction with one other employee, who was asked to stay home.

The state Department of Health has not confirmed a positive COVID-19 test for the employee, Breuer said.

Workers have been asked to stay home in order for the company to complete a 24-hour cleaning and sanitizing effort. Shifts at the equipment maker known for its skid-steer loaders were set to resume Saturday night.

Bobcat had restarted operations Monday after a two-week shutdown.

North Dakota health officials on Saturday reported a record number of daily tests, leading to the highest reported one-day total of 56 new COVID-19 patients. The state processed 1,901 tests, up from the previous day’s record of 1,119. The actual number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people haven’t been tested and studies suggest people can be infected without feeling sick.

The state has now topped 800 confirmed cases. Officials confirmed one new death on Saturday, a Cass County man in his 90s with underlying health conditions. That brought the state’s COVID-19 death toll to 16.

Maj. Gen. Alan Dohrmann of the North Dakota National Guard was leading a mass-testing effort in Fargo on Saturday, with a capacity of screening up to 1,100 people. Fargo is located in Cass County, which had recorded 40 new cases in the last day.

Dohrmann said the state is prepared to test anyone who has symptoms, with an emphasis on those in senior living facilities.

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

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