A fast-moving virus flattened 85 people with vomiting and diarrhea at YMCA’s Camp Chief Ouray in Grand County.
The noro-virus, a generic name for a type of gastroenteritis that includes the notorious Norwalk virus, has prompted officials to close the camp to a new crop of campers scheduled to arrive Sunday, while a thorough cleanup takes place.
“Our priority definitely is the health and safety of the kids,” said Laurie Van Horn, spokeswoman for the YMCA of the Rockies.
The outbreak of the common and very fast-moving illness began on July 15 and was first identified to the state Department of Public Health and Environment two days later as wave after wave of campers and counselors began visiting the infirmary.
“Most kids are sick no more than six hours,” Van Horn said. “They throw up, and then they’re OK. And we’ve had no relapses.”
Camp leaders began insisting that campers wash their hands frequently – even assigning a staff member to ensure that it was being done before and after meals – and are planning to scrub down facilities with a bleach solution.
In addition to refunding the price of the cancelled camp, YMCA leaders have committed to reimbursing families for the cost of changing airline flights.
Officials at the state health department, meanwhile, have been advising the camp and did not order a shutdown, as they did an Elbert County Boy Scout camp fighting the same illness earlier this month.
“It spreads very easily in settings where people are close together,” said Alicia Cronquist, food-borne and enteric (or intestinal) disease coordinator for the agency. “It only takes one person to start an outbreak such as this.”
Outbreaks are particularly common at camps and in nursing homes, Cronquist said, and are caused by a virus that is so prevalent that at any point, 2 to 5 percent of the population is shedding it.
Earlier this week, noro-virus outbreaks were reported at a wrestling camp in Arizona and a YMCA camp in the Canadian Rockies.
Although the symptoms are short-lived, officials say limiting the illness is nonetheless important.
“Anytime you have a large number of people becoming ill, it’s a public-health concern. So it’s important for the camp to take immediate action, which they’re doing.”
Staff Writer Steve Lipsher can be reached at 970-513-9495 or at slipsher@denverpost.com.
What you can do:
You can decrease your chance of coming in contact with noroviruses by following these preventive steps:
– Frequently wash hands, especially after toilet visits and changing diapers and before eating or preparing food.
– Carefully wash fruits and vegetables, and steam oysters before eating them.
– Thoroughly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces immediately after an episode of illness by using a bleach-based household cleaner.
– Immediately remove and wash clothing or linens that may be contaminated with virus after an episode of illness (use hot water and soap).
– Flush or discard any vomitus and/or stool in the toilet and make sure that the surrounding area is kept clean.
Source: Centers for Disease Control
