Wisconsin Gov. Evers extends public health emergency, mask mandate
FILE - This image taken from video by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services shows Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Thursday, July 30, 2020, in Madison, Wis. Evers issued a statewide mask mandate amid a spike in coronavirus cases.[Wisconsin Department of Health Services via the AP]
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday officially extended the state’s public health emergency and mask mandate.
The mask mandate was set to expire Saturday. Both the mask mandate and public health emergency were extended by 60 days.
COVID-19 in Wisconsin: 78 new deaths, 6,473 new cases
“Wisconsin hospitals are overwhelmed and facing staffing shortages,” Evers said. “We continue to see record-setting days of COVID-19 cases in Wisconsin. We need everyone to stay home and wear a mask if you have to you go out. We need your help to stop the spread of this virus, and we all have to do this together.”
Evers said over a third of all hospitals in Wisconsin are operating at peak capacity and are unable to admit new patients. Additionally, 21% of medical surgical beds and 32% of intensive care unit beds are occupied by COVID-19 patients.