COVID-19 outbreaks lead to temporary closure of at least 3 Quebec sleepaway camps
Parents were scrambling Tuesday to pick up their kids after three sleepaway camps in Quebec were forced to temporarily shut down because of COVID-19.
Around 150 campers needed to be collected from Camp Ouareau in Matawinie, in Quebec's Lanaudière region, after an outbreak of nine infections.
"On the first full day, we actually had a young girl who actually threw up. So we sent her home. Then four days in, the parents informed us that she was COVID positive," said Jacqui Raill, a Camp Ouareau director.
Among those sent home are four girls who came from Mexico, some whose parents had to reschedule flights to pick up their daughters.
Most of the infections are among staff – and some were physically unable to work after getting COVID-19, said Raill.
As isolating all staff members and implementing new precautions became more difficult, Camp Ouareau decided to temporarily close altogether. The camp is hoping to reopen by July 13.
The virus in some cases was detected too late due to some false negative results from rapid tests.
"The unfortunate part of this year is that there is no allotment for residential camps to use PCR tests. Last year, every single camper, CIT (counsellor-in-training), and staff member had to have a PCR test," said Raill, who said she hopes the Quebec camping association can provide the camp with proper testing equipment in the near future.
The province’s camps association said last year all campers had to show a negative PCR test, but because access to those tests is now restricted, this year, they don’t.
"The PCR test is a biggie for us right now in terms of what makes the most sense and how can we reduce the exposure. Because once we're on our sites there’s significantly less risk you know, we’re only exposed to each other at that point," explained Shauna Joyce, vice-president of the association.
Raill said the move was "the right thing," because "our number one [priority] is to have happy and healthy campers."
Despite the recent outbreaks, Dr. Earl Rubin, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at the Montreal Children's Hospital, says there is a difference between sleepaway camps and the Montreal community in general when it comes to COVID-19.
"At sleepaway camps, it's all young, healthy people. But more importantly than that, it's a closed environment where they're not going out and being in contact with the elderly, the immunocompromised, the vulnerable population," Dr. Rubin explained.
Having worked as a summer camp doctor for over 30 years, Dr. Rubin believes that such sleepaway camps should not be closed if children catch a cold with no serious symptoms, even without knowing whether it is COVID-19.
Nevertheless, Dr. Rubin has conducted PCR and antigen testing at earlier stages of the pandemic to make sure that COVID-19 spread was minimized among children at camps.
The news comes as COVID-19 numbers increase across the province.
On Tuesday, the health ministry reported 20 more deaths and 147 hospitalizations in just 24 hours.
With files from CTV's Matt Gilmour and Kelly Greig.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.