Ontario reports lowest new COVID-19 case count since March 31
Number marks 1st time since March that daily case count has dipped below 300
Ontario reported 294 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the lowest daily number of new cases since March 31.
This is the first time since March that the daily case count has dipped below 300, according to the Ontario health ministry.
The number of hospitalized patients also dropped from the previous day. The ministry reported 55 fewer people in hospital, eight fewer in intensive care and 18 fewer patients on ventilators.
Case numbers depend upon how quickly health units enter their data, Ontario health ministry spokesperson David Jensen said.
"Numbers will likely continue to fluctuate up and down," he said, noting the ministry reported 260 new cases on the last day of March.
Number of cases in Ontario tops 20,000
The province now has a total of 20,238 cases, with about 73 per cent of people having recovered from the virus.
Ontario is reporting that 1,634 people have died from the virus. However, data compiled from regional public health units by CBC News shows there have been at least 1,733 deaths. The number is 24 more deaths than was reported on Saturday.
The Ontario health ministry reports that 12.5 per cent of people with COVID-19 are hospitalized, with nearly 3 per cent in intensive care.
Provincial parks reopen Monday, retail stores can do curbside pickup
The new numbers come as Ontario looks to reopen provincial parks and conservation areas on Monday, albeit with limited access. Stores with a street entrance can also open for curbside pickup starting on Monday.
The province allowed hardware and safety supply stores to open on Saturday and garden centres and nurseries were allowed to open on Friday.
Meanwhile, Ontario residents looked to the skies on Sunday as the Snowbirds fly over eastern and southern Ontario. The team is on a cross-country tour to salute to Canadians helping fight the spread of COVID-19.