This is the first staff outbreak at a Loto-Québec facility since the start of the pandemic, it said.

The outbreak is related to staff gathering outside of work, the provincial crown corporation said. Some of the staff involved were already working from home, while others were in supervisory roles with little customer contact, Loto-Québec said. Loto-Québec said in a Thursday evening statement that nine workers have tested positive. The Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de l'Outaouais (CISSSO) confirmed the outbreak Thursday, only days after a Radio-Canada investigation revealed the casino - one of the largest in the region - was failing to enforce mask-wearing policies.

Western Quebec's health unit has declared an outbreak of COVID-19 among staff of the Casino du Lac-Leamy in Gatineau, Que.