The confirmed cases are all connected to Bar Le Kirouac in Quebec City, the Regional Public Health Department of Quebec’s capital region (CIUSSS) announced Tuesday.
“We are in the process of figuring out with public security whether this is a criminal matter,” Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé said during a press conference Tuesday, noting that Quebec is considering fines in the case.
“People have a responsibility. They know the rules very well. These people just didn’t play by the rules,” Minister Dubé said.
“We are talking about karaoke, where people who think that because they are with friends they know well, that they can relax, take off the mask, pass the microphone, get close to each other to sing together,” the minister added. “These are enjoyable things, but we can’t do that anymore.”
The Province of Quebec, for which Quebec City is the capital, accounts for nearly half of all the cases in the country, with 62,614 total cases, the website shows.