Wisconsin Corona virus: Freewheeling approach to a summer camp led to 118 cases

Camp organizers tried to prevent such an outbreak by seeking evidence of immunity – which completely failed, Wisconsin health officials told the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Weekly health report, MMWR.

“When retreating, students and counselors did not need to wear masks or social distances. Students attended freely. Classes were held in outdoor pavilions, with about 20 students per class sitting at desks less than 6 feet apart,” wrote Ian Bray of Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services.

“The beds in the dormitories and yards were each tightly spaced with three to four sets of stocks, the bathrooms shared, and the common areas shared.”

During the second week of camp, 24 students showed signs and two tested positive for Govt-19. However, the camp staff did not control the spread.

“These students were given masks, but communication was not tracked and students were not isolated,” the researchers wrote.

After a second positive test result, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services entered. However, it is almost too late to stop the virus.

“There was at least one confirmed case in each dorm room,” the researchers wrote. In total, 118 people tested positive – 78% were managers and employees. This can be underestimated because the researchers said the test was done well after the eruption began.

Only one in four employees fell ill – they all had private dormitories.

Interestingly, all of the affected camps had symptoms and showed no evidence that the infected had been infected a second time before they arrived at the camp.

“This explosive investigation documented the rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2, which may be present in a congregation system, from one student to another, among adolescents and young adults,” the Brain team concluded.