North Dakota reports 5 new deaths because of the coronavirus

North Dakota health officials on Friday reported five new deaths because of the coronavirus, including four people in Cass County with underlying health conditions.

The other person who died was a man in his 60s from Grand Forks County, with no previous health issues listed.

The Cass County victims included a woman in her 70s, a woman in her 80s, a man in his 80s and a man in his 90s. The state has now recorded 71 deaths of people with COVID-19 and 2,745 total positive cases.

The number of people hospitalized dropped by two to a total of 30, which health experts consider an important factor in managing the virus.

The Friday update included 40 new cases in the last day, including 32 in Cass County. The county, which includes the Fargo metropolitan area, went over 1,800 cases in Thursday’s report.

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, and death.