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Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday the further loosening of restrictions on outdoor gatherings increasing the cap to 500 people from the current 200 next month as the number of coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to fall in New Jersey.

The governor also increased capacity limits for large outdoor sports and entertainment venues to 50% and altered the definition of large from 2,500 fixed seats to 1,000 starting May 10.

The maximum capacity at catered indoor events such as proms and weddings will increase to 50% with as many as 250 people allowed also on May 10. In addition, dance floors can be open. The usual mandates about masks and staying six feet apart still apply, though. The new capacities also apply to funerals, memorial services and political events.

The changes take effect shortly after the start of the minor-league baseball season and in plenty of tie for the start of the outdoor concert season at places like PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel and BB&T Pavilion in Camden.

Outdoor carnivals and fairs can also allow guests at up to 50% capacity on that date.

Outdoor venues with at least 2,500 fixed seats are currently limited to 30% capacity the second change this year in the definition of what constitutes a large venue.

On Feb. 22, the governor announced that venues of 5,000 or more seats were allowed to have crowds at 10% capacity at indoor events and 15% for outdoor venues with that same seating minimum starting March 1.

Restaurants are still limited to 50% capacity indoors and customers still cannot congregate at bars in eateries. The rule change allowing for dance floors to be open at proms and other events does not apply to bars and restaurants, Murphy said.

As of 10 p.m. Monday there were, 1,820 patients in the states 71 hospitals with the coronavirus or a suspected case, up from 1,797 in the previous 24-hour period. Officials say 394 people are getting critical care with 297 on ventilators.

At least 2,819,226 people who live, work or study in the state are fully vaccinated with 4,091,234 having been administered at least one dose.

Murphy on Monday announced 1,247 COVID-19 cases and 19 deaths. The rate of transmission dipped to 0.9 any number below 1 means the spread of the virus is slowing.

In addition, the states communicable disease service medical director, Dr. Ed Lifshitz, announced the state identified more than 10,000 duplicate cases from its total tally over the last 14 months thanks to an automated review. So the states total number of confirmed cases actually dropped from 874,895 on Sunday to 865,700 on Monday.

CORONAVIRUS RESOURCES: Live map tracker | Newsletter | Homepage

Heres a roundup of the latest coronavirus news in New Jersey and elsewhere:

N.J. residents show up for second COVID shot at a slightly better rate than national average: In what officials said was not a surprising development, more than 5 million people nationwide did not show up for their second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC said 88% of people came back for their second doses within the recommended three or four week interval. But 8.6% of people who received their first COVID vaccine dose and had not shown up for their second shot were still within the six-week allowable timeframe, it said.

In New Jersey, the rate of compliance is slightly better than the national average 93% show up within six weeks, state health commissioner Judy Persichilli said Monday.

N.J. suspends bars liquor license after inaccurate COVID claims, manager says: A Wildwood bar will be barred from serving alcohol this summer for more violations of the state-mandated coronavirus restrictions, just a few months after it reopened from previous suspension, officials said.

Shamrock Beef and Ale, located on Pacific Avenue, will be stopped from serving alcohol from May 1 through September 30 under a settlement between the Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) and Tommy Gs Shamrock, LLC, the entity that holds the bars liquor license, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced Monday.

Two other venues that operate under the license at the property, Castaways Pirate Bar and Club Amnesia, will also be barred from serving alcohol during the same period, the office said.

One of the co-managers of the bar called the the attorney generals findings inaccurate and said the violations stemmed from renovations done by the establishments architect that made an outdoor space at the bar compliant with state mandates.

Most Americans dont want Johnson & Johnson vaccine, poll finds: Most unvaccinated Americans said they didnt want to take Johnson & Johnsons coronavirus vaccine, according to a poll taken when the single-shot dose was suspended amid concerns about its safety.

Just 22% of those yet to be vaccinated said they would take the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine in an ABC News/Washington Post survey released Monday. Another 73% said they would not.

The poll was conducted during the time the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration temporarily suspended the vaccine after it was linked to a rare blood clotting disorder.

U.S. cases: At least 572,696 of the more than 32.1 million to test positive for the coronavirus in the U.S. have died as of 7 a.m. Tuesday, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

Worldwide cases: As of 7 a.m. Tuesday, the coronavirus has led to at least 3,122,315 million deaths in 192 counties, according to the center. More than 147.9 million have been infected since the outbreak started in December 2019. At least 85.6 million have recovered.

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NJ Advance Media staff writers Brent Johnson, Karin Price Mueller, Jonathan D. Salant and Chris Sheldon contributed to this report.

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N.J. COVID updates: Outdoor capacities to increase; Indoor proms can have dancing. Heres the latest. (April - NJ.com