More Missouri counties are adding mask orders as virus cases and hospitalizations surge.

Among them is Jefferson County, which approved a mask order on Wednesday.

That made it the third county in the region to add coronavirus restrictions in recent days. The move followed a persistent — but so far unsuccessful — campaign by area health officials imploring Missouri Gov. Mike Parson to mandate masks statewide, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reports.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been breaking records nearly every day. And on Thursday, the state reported 4,471 new confirmed cases, bringing the total to 287,263.

Since the pandemic started, 3,808 people have died, according to the latest data from the state’s health department.

More From AM 1050 KSIS