COVID updates: Team USA figure skater Vincent Zhou tests positive at Olympics

The daily death average in the U.S. now stands at more than 2,400 -- the highest daily death average in nearly one year and nearly double the average from one month ago.

But cases are continuing to fall with all but three states reporting declining or plateauing case rates. Washington state is seeing an increase in cases while Maine and Montana are reporting cases at a plateau, according to federal data.

Hospitalizations are also dropping nationwide. About 120,000 COVID-19-positive patients are currently in U.S. hospitals. Fifteen days ago, there were 160,000 patients, according to federal data.

However it's still not clear how many of these patients were admitted to the hospital for COVID-19 and how many people coincidentally tested positive for the virus after they were admitted for other reasons.

Nearly 62 million eligible Americans remain completely unvaccinated. 

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

A new study from the California Department of Public Health found that your odds of testing positive for COVID-19 are 83% lower if wearing an N95 or KN95 mask while indoors compared to no mask. 

The odds of testing positive are 66% lower if wearing a surgical mask compared to no mask, and 56% lower if wearing a cloth mask compared to no mask, the study found. 

This study, however, was conducted prior to the more contagious variants and did not inquire about additional infection control behaviors such as social distancing. 

-ABC News' Sony Salzman, Aiya Aboubakr, Nitya Rajeshuni

The U.S. is now reporting an average of over 2,300 COVID-19-related fatalities each day -- the highest daily death average in nearly one year, according to federal data.

In the last week alone, the nation's daily death average has increased by more than 31%.

Overall, however, the nation's average is still significantly lower than last winter, when the U.S. peaked at about 3,400 deaths per day.

Meanwhile, the U.S. case rate continues to drop rapidly, according to federal data (deaths are a lagging indicator compared to cases). The nation is now reporting an average of 415,000 new cases each day -- nearly half the average from the nation's omicron peak in mid-January. 

But case rates still remain extremely high, with 99% of U.S. counties reporting high transmission.

Alaska currently leads the nation in new cases per capita, followed by Washington and North Dakota.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

More than 25 trade groups representing the travel and aviation industry -- including all major U.S. airlines -- are asking the White House to remove pre-departure testing requirements for vaccinated international travelers coming to the U.S. 

“Clearly COVID is widespread throughout the U.S. and attempts to control its importation via air travel under today’s circumstances are unlikely to change that fact," the groups said. "No new threatening variants appear to be imminent, but if they were, pre-departure testing could be easily reinstituted.” 

The letter also says the requirement is a leading factor for Americans choosing not to travel internationally out of fear they won’t be able to return to the U.S. on schedule. 

-ABC News' Sam Sweeney