Suspected virus closes camp

First it was snow, now it's a suspected virus.

As if having to postpone its opening for the first time in its 37-year history due to snow wasn't enough, Big Lake Youth Camp was hit with a suspected virus last week that forced the cancellation of this week's session.

Camp director Rob Lang reported that he contacted Linn County health officials last week after about 50 percent of the 248 campers involved in last week's seven- to nine-year-old adventure camp became ill, mostly on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 13-14. Symptoms included vomiting and diarrhea.

Officials from Linn County checked the camp's food and water supplies and found nothing amiss, leading health workers to blame a virus brought in by one of the campers.

The suspected villain is the Norwalk virus, well known for its attacks at schools and on cruise ships. The Norwalk virus is notorious for its rapid spread with little warning.

"The sickness doesn't usually include a fever or other warning signs," said Lang. "It hits hard and quickly."

The camp learned that one of the camper's family members became ill after dropping their child off at camp.

Lang and camp registrar Breanne Nelson, who works out of the camp's Portland headquarters, noted that Big Lake officials shut down this week's camp voluntarily and contacted the State Health Division themselves.

"They gave us the clean bill of health on Thursday, but we felt it was the better part of wisdom to close down after some of the staff fell ill the next day," said Lang. "It was a tough call, but (it was) necessary for the well-being of the children."

According to Lang, a team from the Linn County and Oregon Centers for Disease Control will conduct further studies July 20. He expects the camp to be back in full swing by July 25 for Junior Camp IV.

"I've been involved in camps like this for 18 years and have never seen anything like this," said Lang. "The counselors were devastated to have to cancel."

Campers were disappointed as well. Those campers who could not be contacted by phone before Sunday were met near the entrance to the camp and given the bad news.

Campers scheduled for the week of July 18 will be refunded their fees, but they will not be able to fit into any remaining sessions, partly due to rescheduling of campers from the two sessions canceled by snow, according to Lang.

The popular camp hosts nearly 2,000 campers from all over the country every summer, including many from the Sisters community.