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Stitt Says He Remains Opposed To Mask Mandate

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Despite rising numbers of confirmed cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19 infections in Oklahoma, Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt said Thursday he remains opposed to mandating that residents wear masks.

“I’m going to protect the freedoms in Oklahoma,” said Stitt, who rarely wears a mask in public, even when he’s around groups of people. “I’m not comfortable with mandating masks. It’s not something that I would do.”

Stitt also said he wouldn’t take steps to stop local ordinances requiring people to wear masks in public, which have been implemented in Stillwater and Norman.

In Oklahoma City on Thursday, Archbishop Paul Coakley announced a new requirement to wear masks or face coverings at all public masses and church gatherings. Parishioners were previously encouraged to wear masks, but it wasn’t mandatory.

Oklahoma on Thursday reported 603 new cases of coronavirus in the last 24 hours, bringing to nearly 18,500 the number of people who have tested positive for the virus.

The actual number of infections is thought to be much higher because many people haven’t been tested and some who get the disease don’t show symptoms.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health also reported three additional deaths, one each in Muskogee, Oklahoma and Pawnee counties. The state’s death toll has now reached 410 people since the outbreak hit Oklahoma in March. 

State health officials also have reported a surge in the number of people being hospitalized with COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus. There are currently 453 people hospitalized with the disease, an increase of 85 people from a week ago, according to health department statistics.

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