Broken machine will likely cause back log of testing in Cass County

The machine broken in a Bismarck lab caused a mass testing event in Fargo to be cancelled

FARGO, N.D. — Fargo has preformed nearly 7,600 COVID-19 tests and is hoping to administer much more through mass testing events.

The city has already held two of these large-scale testing events. A third was scheduled for Monday, but a broken machine in the Bismarck lab where the tests are sent caused that event to be cancelled.

Public health officials say to anticipate a higher number of positive cases once things get back to functioning properly.

“That put a delay on things. They didn’t want a bunch of tests back logging at the state so they decided to put some testing events on hold,” said director of Fargo Cass Public Health Desi Fleming. “I would expect to see some higher numbers in the next day or two just so you are aware that that back log is sitting there a little bit to run through.”