COVID-19 outbreaks lead to temporary closure of at least 3 Quebec sleepaway camps
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.
The Justice Department has asked a court to unseal the search warrant the FBI received before searching the Florida estate of former President Donald Trump, Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday.
A widespread power outage is currently affecting the downtown core in Toronto and officials say it may have been caused by a large crane that struck a high-voltage transmission line.
A national tracking system for health-care workers, with information on what training they have, where they're located and what their career plans are, would make a 'significant difference' in addressing future staffing challenges, the president of the Canadian Medical Association says.
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
A Canadian Armed Forces veteran has been charged with murder in connection to a mass shooting in Belize that left two people dead and eight others injured.
A widespread power outage is currently affecting the downtown core in Toronto and officials say it may have been caused by a large crane that struck a high-voltage transmission line.
A Brampton, Ont. media personality who was attacked with a machete and axe in his driveway will need months of physical rehabilitation to recover, a close friend says.
A climatologist says the wildfires that have been burning for more than two weeks in central Newfoundland could be a sign of what's to come as the province feels the impacts of climate change.
While a supermoon is expected to wash out all but the very brightest of this year's Perseids meteor shower, astronomy experts say if you choose your spot well, you will still be able to enjoy it.
Ask people driving and walking in the area of the Erb St. West and Ira Needles Blvd. roundabout, and it’s not hard to find someone with concerns or the story of a close call.
The Edmonton Oilers shared memories of superfan Ben Stelter on Thursday. Connor McDavid, Zach Hyman and head coach Jay Woodcroft held a virtual press conference to speak about the six-year-old.
The suspect at the centre of Saskatchewan's recent Amber Alert was working campground security for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally when police arrested him, according to campers.
Saskatchewan's education ministry is appointing an administrator to oversee a Saskatoon Christian school at the centre of a criminal investigation of a proposed class action lawsuit.
Canadians for Affordable Energy President Dan McTeague says gas prices will increase eight cents a litre in Ottawa on Friday, bringing gas prices to $1.749 a litre.
A Mississippi Mills, Ont. councillor has had her pay suspended for 90 days after breaching the municipality's COVID-19 vaccination policy by attending council meetings while refusing to disclose her vaccination status.
The suspect at the centre of Saskatchewan's recent Amber Alert was working campground security for the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally when police arrested him, according to campers.
