U.S.

Associated Press

Executives at a Bismarck marketing agency hired to help stem the tide of rising virus cases in central North Dakota say that's the mindset facing them with their campaign in the hot spot of a state that for weeks has been among the nation's leaders in the number of new virus cases per capita, according to The COVID Tracking Project. Agency MABU was hired by a governor's task force in Burleigh and Morton counties that is nearly six weeks into its effort and frustrated by the lack of progress in an area that includes the cities of Bismarck and Mandan. The state will soon follow with a nearly $2 million campaign of its own that dwarfs MABU's $76,800 media budget.