Oregon governor announces outdoor mask mandate

• The rule also does not apply to "fleeting encounters," such as when two people walk by one another on a trail or in a park.

What they're saying: "The Delta variant is spreading fast and wide, throwing our state into a level of crisis we have not yet seen in the pandemic. Cases and hospitalizations are at a record high," Brown said in a statement.

• "Masks have proven to be effective at bringing case counts down, and are a necessary measure right now, even in some outdoor settings, to help fight COVID and protect one another," she added.
• "We are starting to see instances where cases are clustering around events, like outdoor music festivals, that happen outdoors. Wearing masks in crowded settings — even outdoors — will help slow the spread of COVID-19," said Dean Sidelinger, Oregon's state health officer.

By the numbers: Oregon has reported a total of 257,644 cases and 3,036 confirmed deaths, according to government data.

• On Aug. 14, the state recorded 2,220 new cases, its highest number of single-day cases.