Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt announced Wednesday he is infected with the novel coronavirus, but steadfastly refuses to mandate protective face masks as the state battles a spike in the deadly pandemic.

Stitt, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump, reportedly chaired an official meeting Tuesday with a mask hanging around his neck and pointedly did not wear a mask when he attended the president’s poorly attended rally in Tulsa last month.

“Not thinking about a mask mandate at all,” Stitt told a journalist.

Stitt, who found out about his positive test Tuesday night, said he was suffering from fairly mild flu-like symptoms. His wife and children have tested negative.

Stitt, like many Republicans, has pushed to reopen the economy as quickly as possible. He also opposes making masks mandatory, even though public health experts say they can help prevent the virus from spreading.

Oklahoma was initially spared by the pandemic but has been hit hard in the past month as the virus marches through the heartland.

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