COVID-19 shuts down schools in Dakotas, Minnesota (Audio)

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has ordered a state of emergency and instructed public schools to close in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Officials have revealed one more person who tested positive for the coronavirus, bringing the state’s total to nine.

Noem says a drop-off in positive test results and the absence of signs of community spread is “encouraging…

Noem ordered all schools in South Dakota to close this week…. 

Governor Noem is taking other executive action….

North Dakota has seen just one coronavirus case, in a Minot area man in his 60s, but that didn’t stop Governor Doug Burgum from ordering a shutdown of all schools in that state this week…..

 Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has ordered the temporary shutdown of public schools to allow administrators and teachers to make plans for switching to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, health officials have confirmed Minnesota’s first three cases of community transmission of the disease as the state’s total number of cases rose to 35 Sunday. Schools will be closed to kindergarten through 12th grade students by Wednesday and will remain shut down through March 27.