Manitoba, Ontario report record high COVID-19 cases, officials warn more to come

Published December 24, 2021 at 12:02 pm

Ontario and Manitoba are reporting record high COVID-19 case counts as health officials across the country warn about the consequences of large gatherings over the holidays.

Ontario has 9,571 new daily infections, which shatters the previous high of 4,812 in April.

A spokeswoman for Health Minister Christine Elliott says the situation is expected to worsen.

Manitoba says it has nearly 750 new cases, it’s highest yet in the pandemic.

Chief public health officer, Dr. Brent Roussin, says the count is likely an underestimate, as the province’s testing system is at capacity and there’s a current backlog of 10,000 tests.

Nunavut also announced five more cases in various communities, bringing the territory’s active case count to eight.