Covid-19 outbreak reported at southern Ohio summer camp

LUCASVILLE — The Scioto County Health Department confirmed there was a Covid-19 outbreak of nine confirmed cases at Camp Molly Lauman in Lucasville, according to our news partner WBNS in Columbus.

It’s the same camp that had a norovirus outbreak back in May, WBNS says.

>>Local Covid-19 cases and hospitalizations are up in our area

A camp spokesperson said the Ohio Department of Health has reported a rise of Covid cases statewide and Camp Molly Lauman unfortunately has been affected, WBNS reports.

“We had a total of nine staff members that tested positive between July 3 and July 10,” a spokesperson said in a statement. “In order to ensure the safety of everyone at camp, we made the difficult decision to close Camp Molly Lauman for the week of July 10-16.”

The camp said it was done out of an abundance of caution and is expected to reopen on July 17, WBNS says.

>>SWAT, police surrounding Mason hotel where escaped inmate is located

Molly Dargaville, epidemiologist for Lawrence and Scioto Counties, says children are old enough for summer camp and should get a Covid vaccine, according to WBNS.

“I have a kid myself, she’s only six, I know how difficult it can be to get a child to wear a mask consistently,” she said. “The best thing really you can do is get that vaccination for them.”

Dargaville said she received a complaint about the camp and they confirmed with the camp’s director there were nine positive Covid cases, WBNS reports.

“If we have a facility, or we have a summer camp reach out to us if they Covid-19 concerns or if they do have an outbreak of cases, then we’re giving them more personalized recommendations and talking them through the process in more detail,” she said.

Dargaville said an outbreak is defined as two ore more cases linked to a common place of exposure, and what happens, according to WBNS.

©2022 Cox Media Group