Lowest number of coronavirus cases in six weeks reported in Ontario

On Thursday, 258 new cases of the virus were confirmed by health officials, which brings the new total to 21,494.

This report shows the lowest number of single-day cases in Ontario since March 29, when there were 211 new cases reported.

There were also 33 coronavirus deaths reported by health officials on Thursday bringing the total death toll to 1,798.

Ontario's total recoveries have now increased to 16,204. Resolved cases now make up 75 percent of the province's cases.

Ontario hospitals currently have 1,029 coronavirus patients with 184 in ICU. There are now 141 people on ventilators.

The new report is a continuation of the recent trend of lowering case numbers in the province. The highest number of cases reported in Ontario in a single day was 640 on April 25.

The report comes only hours before the province is set to give new details about the first phase of Ontario’s reopening plan.

Premier Doug Ford noted that there will be a news conference in the afternoon to provide new information about which businesses will be able to reopen.

Ford said that he will wait for the support of health officials before the plan officially begins.

There have now been 492,487 tests completed in Ontario and 17,429 of them were on Wednesday alone.

Dr. David Williams, the chief medical officer of health is also set to release new testing guidelines today that will allow anyone who has symptoms to get tested.

Health Minister Christine Elliot tweeted that the new guidelines “will help identify and contain new cases and monitor any shifts in community spread to keep Ontarians safe.”

She added that all residents and workers at long-term care homes have been tested and the testing can now start to cover other vulnerable populations like group homes, shelters and retirement homes.