Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has declared a new public health emergency and extended a face coverings mandate into November to fight a flare-up of coronavirus cases, Reuters reported.

In-person social gatherings led to cases skyrocketing among people aged 18 to 24, Evers said, as he pleaded with students who returned to colleges for the fall semester to stay out of bars and wear masks.

Wisconsin has experienced one of the highest percentage increases of coronavirus cases nationwide over the past two weeks, and has the second-highest rate of positive coronavirus tests in the nation at 17 per cent, according to a Reuters tally.