Hawaii will become last state in US to drop its mask mandate on March 26

As the US strives to move on from the once-ferocious Omicron wave, Hawaii became the 50th and final state to announce that it will suspend its universal indoor mask law.

In a sudden reversal, Gov. David Ige said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon that the mandate would be phased out beginning March 26.

Omicron cases soared in Hawaii, as they did across the country, from December to mid-January before rapidly declining.

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As the wave subsided, officials on the mainland of the United States moved to repeal mask laws, leaving Hawaii and Puerto Rico as the last holdouts.

On Monday, Puerto Rico stated that the mask requirement for most areas would be eliminated on Thursday.

Hawaii's education administration withdrew the outdoor mask rule on school campuses on Tuesday, although masks are still required indoors at public schools in the state, which was the last to do so.

The removal of Hawaii's blanket mandate was a sharp contrast to Mr. Ige's announcement a week ago that the state's indoor mask rule would remain in place despite other limitations being lifted.

(With inputs from agencies)