Number of sick grows as YMCA staff cope with viral illness at Camp Glenburn

The number of peopleaffected by a viral illness at Camp Glenburn has jumpedfrom 20 to35 people, YMCA staff confirmed Monday.

About 100 campers were sent home Friday following the outbreak of a viral illness that caused several attendees to vomit and have diarrhea.

Now the camp near Kingston, a community about 11 kilometres north of Quispamsis,is being scrubbed with bleach and a substance called Viroxa hydrogen peroxide-based solution designed to kill pathogens.

"Step by step, we're taking care of this and we hope this never happens at camp again," said ShiloBoucher, CEO of the YMCA.

No one will be at the camp for48 hours to make sure the virus is gone.

Working with Department of Heath

"It happened very quickly," said Shilo Boucher, CEO of the YMCA. "We were informed that some of the campers were sick and the staff team moved very fast to figure out what it was and to make sure those campers were taken care of.

"But the numbers were so high that we immediately called public health because obviously the children's safety [is something] we took very seriously."

She said the YMCA'smaintenance and cleaning staff have been tasked with the cleaning process to ensure counsellors have enough time to recuperate and won't re-infect the premises.

Boucher said her team is working side by side with the Department of Health whose officials previously thought the illness isanorovirus or Norwalk-like virus.

"They've been giving us wonderful advice and we are confident this will help clear the camp of the viral illness," Boucher said.

The camp will remain closed this week.

The YMCA was told by Public Health the camp could reopen on Wednesday, but itdecided to keep the camp closed until Sunday when a new group is scheduled to arrive.

'Hope this never happens at camp again'

"I think it's just really important for people to understand that we are taking this extremely seriously and doing everything we can to ensure the safety of campers and staff," Boucher said.

As for those sent home Friday, the CEO said they're considering adding an extra week of camp at the end of the summer to ensure they have a more normal camp experience.

The scale of the sickness is something none of the counsellors or staff, even the more senior ones, had ever seen before, she said.

On Tuesday, the YMCA will have an updated number of people sick.