Pierce County’s total for COVID-19 cases remains at three after a report by the North Dakota Department of Health initially placed a positive test result in Pierce County last Thursday.

Data released by the ND DOH indicated the case was attributed to community spread, according to Jennifer Skjod of the North Dakota Joint Information Center.

The three individuals who tested positive weeks ago are now considered “recovered,” according to the data.

According to a statement released by Heart of America Medical Center Communications Director Darcie Rose, the most recent positive test was not performed at the local facility.

“However,” a statement by HAMC on social media read, “We are keeping the public informed of the total number of cases for our county.”

As of Wednesday, the North Dakota Department of Health put the total number of positive tests for the novel coronavirus in Pierce County at three.

Heart of America Medical Clinic also announced another positive test result Tuesday. “Please note the positive test result was not that of a Pierce County resident, but the testing was completed at HAMC,” the announcement read.

Also on Tuesday, the North Dakota Department of Health announced a positive test result for Rolette County, which borders Pierce County to the north. Rolette County’s total sat at five cases as of Thursday.

Earlier this week, a message from North Dakota State Health Officer Mylynn Tufte reported “an equipment issue with two machines that process C0VID-19 tests.”

“The lab staff was able to quickly detect the issue and identify 82 tests that may have been affected by it,” the message said. “Out of an abundance of caution, the (public health laboratory) called for those 82 individuals to be retested. When the results of the re-tests are finalized, the NDDoH will update the total case count and the individual case counts for the affected days.”

More information is available from the North Dakota Department of Health at www.health.nd.gov/diseases-conditions/coronavirus.