Roane County Executive Ron Woody announced today the mask mandate currently in effect is now extended until February 27, 2021. Governor Bill Lee in an executive order granted county mayors and executives the power to implement facial coverings during the COVID-19 pandemic. The announcement came shortly before the daily Tennessee Department of Health report was released indicating four more deaths in Roane County in the past 24 hours. The death toll there now is 53. The county currently stands at 646 active cases.

Other counties including Sevier, Warren and Grainger have the mandate in place.

Cumberland County still does not have a mask mandate and stands this afternoon at 638 active cases with 51 deceased.

Health officials say the active numbers as well as the death toll will rise starting in the next day or so as testing is being done from the Christmas holiday period.