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Published 03:21 IST, July 8th 2020

US: Two million masks to be sent to Wisconsin schools

Gov. Tony Evers says the state will be distributing more than 2 million cloth masks and more than 4,200 infrared thermometers to K-12 schools, and about 60,000 masks to local food processors and businesses.

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Gov. Tony Evers says the state will be distributing more than 2 million cloth masks and more than 4,200 infrared thermometers to K-12 schools, and about 60,000 masks to local food processors and businesses.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Wisconsin has nearly doubled in a little over a month. It took five months to get 16,500 confirmed cases, and since Memorial Day there have been nearly 17,000 confirmed cases. Testing has increased as well.

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All Dane County residents will be required to wear masks when indoors under the first order of its kind issued Tuesday in Wisconsin as deaths from COVID-19 surpassed 800 statewide and confirmed cases again increased, particularly among young adults.

Evers, a Democrat, said he was considering at a statewide mask mandate, but after the Wisconsin Supreme Court struck down his "safer at home" order in May, a new one requiring masks to be worn is "unlikely."

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The order from Public Health Madison and Dane County takes effect Monday. It's the first community to issue a mask requirement in Wisconsin, but it's unlikely to be the last. Milwaukee is also discussing taking similar steps.

(Image Credit Pixabay)

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03:21 IST, July 8th 2020