Ontario reports lowest new COVID-19 case count since March 31

Ontario reported 294 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the lowestdailynumberof new cases since March 31.

This is the first timesince March that the daily case counthas dipped below 300, according to the Ontario health ministry.

The number of hospitalized patients also dropped from the previous day. The ministryreported 55 fewer people in hospital,eight fewer in intensive care and 18 fewer patients on ventilators.

Case numbers depend uponhow quicklyhealth units enter their data, Ontario health ministryspokesperson 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

Theprovince now has a total of20,238 cases, with about 73 per cent of people having recovered from the virus.

Ontario is reporting that1,634 people have died from the virus.However,data compiledfrom regional public health units by CBCNews shows there have beenat least 1,733deaths. The number is 24more deathsthan was reported on Saturday.

The Ontario health ministryreports that 12.5 per cent of people with COVID-19 are hospitalized, with nearly 3 per cent in intensive care.

Provincial parksreopen Monday, retail stores can docurbside pickup

The new numbers come as Ontario looks toreopen provincial parks and conservation areas on Monday, albeit with limited access.Stores with a streetentrance can also open for curbside pickup starting on Monday.

The province allowed hardware and safety supply stores to open on Saturdayandgarden centres and nurseries were allowed to open on Friday.

Meanwhile,Ontario residents looked to the skies on Sunday as the Snowbirdsfly over eastern and southern Ontario. The team is on a cross-country tour tosalute to Canadians helping fight the spread ofCOVID-19.