Shaw: Time to reinstate mask mandates After Burgum reluctantly and tardily imposed the statewide mask mandate last November, an amazing thing happened. Deaths, infections and hospitalizations from the coronavirus dramatically dropped in North Dakota. McDonough estimates that the statewide mask mandate saved 421 lives. Written By: Jim Shaw | × Jim Shaw FARGO — With COVID-19 cases surging again in North Dakota, it’s time for Gov. Doug Burgum to reinstate the statewide mask mandate for people in public places. Failing that, it’s time for North Dakota cities to reinstate their mask mandates. There are hundreds of new infections in the state every week. Active cases in North Dakota have doubled in just the past month. The alarming case numbers are higher now than last summer. Cass County has been especially hard hit.