N.D. – North Dakota health officials on Friday reported four new coronavirus-related deaths, after five days with none due to a lag in reporting.

The lengthy stretch was the result of a delay in the state’s monitoring of death records this week, according to Health Department spokeswoman Nicole Peske. The statewide pandemic death toll now stands at 1,426.

None of the new deaths was in Burleigh-Morton counties, which have not had a confirmed COVID-19 death since late January.

Health officials on Friday reported 91 new COVID-19 cases statewide from 6,770 tests handled Thursday, and calculated a daily positivity rate of just 1.74%. Total pandemic cases are at 98,095, with 95,777 recoveries and 3,797 hospitalizations. Current hospitalizations dropped for a fifth straight day, to 33.

Active COVID-19 cases dropped slightly statewide, to 892, but in Burleigh-Morton counties the number rose for a fifth straight day, to 189.