Ontario Reports A Record 5,790 New Cases Of COVID-19 As Omicron Surges Across The Country

Man wearing a face mask improperly while shopping at a grocery store in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on December 23, 2021. Ontario is reporting a record 5,790 new cases of COVID-19 over the last 24 hours as the Omicron variant continues to trigger a surge in new infections. This is the highest single-day case count ever reported, easily surpassing the then record 4,812 infections that were confirmed at the height of the third wave of the pandemic on April 16. An estimated 87 per cent of all new infections are suspected to be caused by the Omicron variant. Large parts of Canada are starting to implement new restrictions as a fifth wave of COVID-19 fuelled by the Omicron variant saw thousands of new cases across the country over the past few days. (Photo by Creative Touch Imaging Ltd./NurPhoto via Getty Images)