Mass COVID-19 infection in US summer camp

THE United States Health authourity says more than 80 teens and adult staffers from a Central Illinois summer camp have tested positive for COVID-19 in an outbreak that has impacted people across three states.

  Disclosing this in a release yesterday, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) Director, Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the Crossing Camp in Schuyler County held in mid-June did not check vaccination status for campers or staffers, and masks were not required indoors at the camp.

  According to the release, all campers and staff were eligible for vaccination, although IDPH is aware of only a handful of campers and staff receiving the vaccine, the department said on Monday.

  “One unvaccinated young adult who tested positive after attending the camp was also hospitalised,” IDPH stated.

In a latest data from the Illinois health department, 46.1 per cent of the population is fully vaccinated. However, officials across the country are becoming alarmed by the reluctance of young adults to get vaccinated, especially as the more transmissible Delta variant is spreading more widely.

  “The perceived risk to children may seem small, but even a mild case of COVID-19 can cause long-term health issues,” Ezike said..

She added, “Infected youth who may not experience severe illness can still spread the virus to others, including those who are too young to be vaccinated or those who don’t build the strong expected immune response to the vaccine”.

  IDPH boss said that at least two individuals from the camp also attended a nearby conference, which resulted in 11 additional positive cases of COVID-19.

  The week-long camp from June 13-17 was designed was for 8th graders through graduating seniors.

  An upcoming camp created for fourth- and fifth-grade students has been postponed to August due to the outbreak, according to a message posted on its official website.

  “We were so looking forward to spending time with your campers this weekend, but we believe the best way to value and love our students, difference makers, and staff is to delay camp until a safer time,” The message read.

  County Health Department said last week that the Schuyler County Health Department worked with camp staffers to provide guidance and mitigate the situation, adding that the Crossing Camp also followed CDC guidelines in relation to the cleaning and disinfection of their facility.

  County and state health officials are advising anyone who visited the camp during the mid-June timeframe to get a PCR test, even if they are not experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.