Coronavirus sweeps summer camp, infects 82 campers, counselors and staff in Missouri
Corona clapped back.
Missouri leaders thought they had their coronavirus transmission under
control, with solid plans to keep everyone socially distanced enough to
be safe.
But at least 82 campers, counselors and staff were infected at Kanakuk
Kamp near Branson, Mo., and the teens had to be sent home, the Associated Press reported. That was the confirmed amount as of Monday, up from 42 the previous Friday, AP said.
Kanakuk Kamps is a network of Christian sports camps in Missouri, according to People.
State public health experts told them of the risks but had expressed
confidence in the measures the camps planned to take to keep the
infection from spreading.
Several states are reporting outbreaks of coronavirus at summer camps, AP said.
“Stone County Health Department (SCHD) continues to further investigate
the Covid-19 cases at Kanakuk K-2 camp in Lampe (Stone County),” health
department officials said in a statement
Monday. “At the time of this release 82 campers, counselors and staff
have tested positive for Covid-19. All 82 positive cases were from the
Kanakuk K-2 camp in Lampe. Many of these cases returned to their place
of residence and then tested positive.”
Thirty-one people were tested at the camp, health officials said,
adding that they are monitoring those cases and their close contacts.
Kanakuk is working with county health officials, the statement said.
“The decision to close has resulted in all campers, counselors and
staff to return to their homes,” the camp said. “SCHD will be working
closely with Kanakuk Kamps to identify exposed individuals and
quarantine those individuals, as necessary.”
While states including Oregon, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut
have opted not to open their summer camps due to just such a risk,
others have attempted to forge ahead, AP said.
Kanakuk had all the best intentions for its 20,000 total campers across the state.
“We are focused on taking all reasonable measures to prevent the spread
of COVID-19 in our Kamps,” camp officials told parents, according to NBC News.
That was around May 30, opening day. By Friday the infection count was
initially 41 campers, counselors and staff members testing positive,
from 10 states and multiple Missouri counties, NBC News said. That
quickly rose to 49, and then again to 76 on Monday morning. By Monday
afternoon it had risen to 82.
Outbreaks has also been reported at camps in Texas, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee, AP said.
Nonetheless, Kanakuk intends to reopen by the end of summer, once everyone has tested negative, officials said.