TORONTO — Public Health Ontario says the province has reached a new daily record for new COVID-19 cases, but warns the true number of people infected with the virus is likely higher.
The organization is reporting 18,445 more COVID-19 cases today, up from the previous record set just a day earlier when there were 16,713 infections reported.
It says the number of infected Ontarians is an underestimate because recent policy changes have made COVID-19 testing less accessible just as cases linked to the Omicron variant are soaring.
Public Health Ontario is also reporting 12 new virus-related deaths.
The latest figures come days after the province significantly curtailed who is eligible for government-funded COVID-19 testing and come a week after many gathered for Christmas celebrations.
While the Ministry of Health typically releases daily COVID-19 data for the province, it does not publish new figures on holidays like New Year's Day.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 1, 2022.
The Canadian Press