Covid infections plummet 90% from U.S. pandemic high, states lift mask mandates

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Hospitalizations have also fallen sharply. There are about 66,000 patients in U.S. hospitals with Covid as of Monday, according to a seven-day average of data from the Department of Health and Human Services, down from the Jan. 20 peak of 159,000 patients.

The Covid death toll, which typically lags a rise in cases by a number of weeks, is elevated but showing signs of easing. Average daily deaths reached the highest level in about a year on Feb. 1 at nearly 2,600 per day and have since fallen below 2,000. ...

ALSO SEE: WHO: New COVID cases fall for the 3rd week, deaths also drop

More than half of all travel destinations are 'very high' risk The CDC designated a half dozen new places "very high" risk for travel on Monday, including South Korea and French Polynesia. Almost 140 destinations are now at Level 4, the highest risk category. By Marnie Hunter and Forrest Brown, CNN CNN

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What you need to know about the coronavirus right now Here's what you need to know about the coronavirus right now: Reuters Reuters

-- South Korea said on Friday it would extend stricter social distancing rules for two weeks amid a persistent surge in serious coronavirus infections and concerns over the spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant.