Police called to another Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu bingo event of more than 150 people

After a first warning, a bingo hall south of Montreal that hosted 250 people Friday, against public health guidelines, held another event Wednesday evening with up to 170 attendees.

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu police were called and organizers sent participants home.

The city in the Montrgie region is in an orange zone, the second-highest alert level for COVID-19 restrictions, until tomorrowwhen it becomesa red zone.

Quebec's Health Ministry had clarified this weekthat in orange zones, the maximum number of people allowed inside a bingo hallis 25.

Public health officials in the Montrgiesay there has been one positive case of COVID-19 linked to a bingo event on Oct. 4at the same location and they're encouraging everyone who was present that day to go and get tested at a mobile testing clinic being set up for Friday.

The people who attended Friday night's event were trying to win a $100,000 prize.

But the hall stillwent ahead with another event Wednesday, which was interrupted by police.

The organization behind the events, HR Community Bingo,said on its Facebook pagethat it followed public health guidelines and is now closing down as the region becomes a red zone.

Province's orange zone rules are ambiguous, says bingo group

The association that represents bingo halls across Quebec says there was reason to believe these recent crowded events were allowed.

Eric Castonguay, the executive director ofLe Secrtariat du Bingo, says Wednesday night's gathering was not your typicalbingo get-together. He says it wasa commercial eventthat is regulated by Quebec's liquor and gaming board, putting it on par with casinos.

Castonguay pointed out that the province's public health guidelines for restaurants, bars and casinos in orange zones call for a maximum of six people to be seated at the same table, without specifying a limit forthe number of people on the premises.

According to him, another one of the province's orange zone rules seems to greenlight events like the one on Wednesday night.

"There's even a definition," Castonguay said, in reference tothe rule. "It says 'seated person', 'relatively immobile', 'speaking very little or at all' that's funny, that sounds like a bingo hall to me."

He says hisgroup represents 25 commercial bingo halls around Quebec, grossing more than $25 million for non-profit organizations.

He says, overthe last few months, both the Health Ministry and the workplace health and safety board (CNESST) have visited their installations and that no violations were reported.

'I'm sorry, but that's a lack of judgment'

On Thursday,Health Minister Christian Dubsaidregardless of what it statesin the province's public health guidelines, organizing a large bingo event is ill-advised.

"I'm sorry, but that's a lack of judgment," Dub said. "Please use your judgment and make sure that we protect our people especially those that would be more affected."

He added that he wouldn't want "bingo to become the karaoke from a few weeks ago", in reference to dozens of COVID-19 cases that were linked to karaoke event in Quebec City.

The health minister said the province had already made it clear that it wanted to alllimit gatherings in an effort to reduce the number of daily infections.