Kingman has joined two other Mohave County cities in repealing a local mask mandate imposed to help curb the spread of the coronavirus.
The City Council voted 4-3 on Tuesday to repeal the requirement that people over age 6 wear face coverings when entering places of business, The Miner reported.
Mayor Jen Miles had extended Kingman’s requirement in August through 2020, and the council voted 5-2 in September to keep the proclamation in effect through Tuesday pending a review.
Miles voted Tuesday against lifting the mandate.
Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City, the county’s other two population centers, lifted their mask mandates last month.
Arizona on Wednesday reported 975 new confirmed coronavirus cases and another 17 deaths as the state continues to see an elevated spread of COVID-19. The numbers reported by the Arizona Department of Health Services bring the total to 233,912 known cases and 5,854 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
Hospitals reported 832 beds used by COVID-19 patients, the highest number since late August.
Arizona is seeing increasing spread of the virus since hitting lows in late September.
Arizona was a national hotspot for COVID-19 during June and July but cases and hospitalizations statewide declined dramatically after new restrictions, including local mask requirements, were imposed or re-imposed. Cases and hospitalizations have increased in recent weeks but remain far below the summer’s peak levels.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
