Nearly 300 Georgia Kid Campers Positive For Coronavirus: CDC

GEORGIA — After attending a summer camp in north Georgia, nearly 300 campers and staff members tested positive for the coronavirus, the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reported Friday, adding to concerns about safely opening schools.

The campers were not required to wear masks, and many activities like singing and cheering were common, which left children vulnerable to spread of the virus.

After testing 344 attendees of YMCA Camp High Harbour at Lake Burton, in Clayton, Georgia, the CDC found that 76 percent tested positive for the coronavirus, and of those, 51 percent were between the ages of 6 10. A total of 597 Georgia residents attended the camp, with the median camper 12 years old, and the median age of staff members and trainees was 17.

The camp posted on its website that, "due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, we have made the careful decision to close YMCA Camp High Harbour for summer 2020. If your child was registered for camp, you should have received an email notification. If you have questions, please contact our team at registration@highharbour.org or 770-532-2267."

Among the cases with available data, 26 percent of the patients reported no symptoms. Of those who reported symptoms, the most commonly reported were subjective or documented fever, headache, and sore throat.

The camp held its orientation June 17-20 for its 138 trainees and 120 staff members. Staff remained for the first camp session from June 21–27, and were joined by 363 campers and three senior staff members on June 21.

During June 21–27, the occupancy of the 31 cabins averaged 15 people per cabin, with about half of the cabins having one or more cases of the coronavirus.

On June 23, a teenage staff member left camp after developing chills the previous night. The staff member was tested and reported a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2 the following day. Camp officials began sending campers home on June 24, notified the Georgia Department of Public Health on June 25, which began an investigation, and closed the camp on June 27.

State health officials recommended that all attendees be tested and self-quarantine, and isolate if they tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19.

The CDC said in its report that the camp, "adhered to the measures in Georgia’s Executive Order that allowed overnight camps to operate beginning on May 31, including requiring all trainees, staff members, and campers to provide documentation of a negative viral SARS-CoV-2 test (less than or equal to) 12 days before arriving.

"Camp A adopted most components of CDC’s Suggestions for Youth and Summer Camps to minimize the risk for SARS-CoV-2 introduction and transmission. Measures not implemented were cloth masks for campers and opening windows and doors for increased ventilation in buildings. Cloth masks were required for staff members. Camp attendees were cohorted by cabin and engaged in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, including daily vigorous singing and cheering."

The findings in the report are subject to at least three limitations, the CDC said.

1. Attack rates, which were calculated by dividing the number of people with positive test results by the total number of Georgia attendees, presented are likely an underestimate because cases might have been missed among persons not tested or whose test results were not reported.
2. Given the increasing incidence of COVID-19 in Georgia in June and July, some cases might have resulted from transmission occurring before or after camp attendance.
3. It was not possible to assess individual adherence to COVID-19 prevention measures at the camp, including physical distancing between, and within, cabin cohorts and use of cloth masks, which were not required for campers.

However, the CDC said in its report that these findings, "demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 spread efficiently in a youth-centric overnight setting, resulting in high attack rates among persons in all age groups, despite efforts by camp officials to implement most recommended strategies to prevent transmission."

Asymptomatic infection was common and potentially contributed to undetected transmission, the CDC said.

"This investigation adds to the body of evidence demonstrating that children of all ages are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection and, contrary to early reports, might play an important role in transmission," the CDC said. "The multiple measures adopted by the camp were not sufficient to prevent an outbreak in the context of substantial community transmission. Relatively large cohorts sleeping in the same cabin and engaging in regular singing and cheering likely contributed to transmission. Use of cloth masks, which has been shown to reduce the risk for infection, was not universal."

Physical distancing and consistent and correct use of cloth masks should be emphasized as important strategies for mitigating transmission in congregate settings, the CDC said.