COVID updates: Hawaii is only state to not announce plans to lift mask mandates

Starting March 1, masks will no longer be required in Washington, D.C.'s restaurants, bars, gyms, grocery stores and pharmacies, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced.

As of Tuesday, indoor venues in D.C. will no longer be required to verify that patrons are vaccinated, however businesses may choose to keep vaccine requirements in place, the mayor said.

"Since the height of [the] omicron wave entered the district in December, cases have dropped more than 90% and there has been a 95% reduction in hospitalizations," Bowser said.

Masks will still be required in places like schools, child care facilities, nursing homes, medical facilities and public transit.

-ABC News' Beatrice Peterson

The U.S. is now averaging 175,000 new COVID-19 cases per day, a drop of 78% since the omicron peak about one month ago, according to federal data.

The U.S reported about 1.2 million new cases over the last week. At one point there were more than 5.5 million cases per week in January. 

Nearly 99% of U.S. counties are reporting high transmission. Also, many Americans are taking at-home tests and not submitting their results, so case totals may be higher than reported.

COVID-19-related deaths remain very high with an average of more than 2,200 fatalities each day, according to federal data.

Thirteen states plus Washington, D.C., are reporting increasing daily death rates: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, Utah, Washington and West Virginia.

-ABC News' Arielle Mitropoulos

Prince Charles' wife, Camilla, has tested positive for COVID-19 less than one week after her husband tested positive for the virus.

Clarence House said she is self-isolating.

Walmart employees in the U.S. who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will no longer be required to wear masks.  

"Unvaccinated associates will be required to continue wearing masks until further notice," company officials said in a memo obtained by ABC News. 

Friday's policy update was effective immediately for most employees, aside from those working in regions where state or local rules require retail staff to wear masks, the memo said. Associates working in clinical settings or with patients will also still be required to wear masks.

“We will continue to monitor the situation and advise of any changes,” the memo said. 

The company, the largest private retail employer in the U.S., will also end its COVID-19 emergency leave policy for most employees at the end of March, the memo said.  

ABC News' Caroline Rotante and Matt Foster