The Associated Press
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – Wyoming Health Department officials have confirmed that fecal matter contaminated the water supply at an Albany County Bible camp where dozens of camp-goers have become sick.
According to the Health Department, lab tests have confirmed both viral and bacterial infections in about a dozen camp-goers, including nine cases of norovirus, six cases of Campylobacter jejuni, a bacterial infection; three people were found to have both.
That may be just the tip of the iceberg. More than 100 people have reported some sort of gastrointestinal illness related to the camp, including 88 people who attended the camp, and another 20 who had a family member at the camp.
More than 300 people attended Camp Grace, near Wheatland, between mid-June and mid-July. The camp was closed and the investigation into the illnesses began.
Investigators are still interviewing people who attended the camp to determine how widespread the outbreak may be.
Wyoming Health Department epidemiologist Kelley Weidenbach says the case is extremely complex because of the number of people infected, and the fact that there are multiple infections to track.
Most of the camp-goers were from Wyoming, but others came from Colorado, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Washington.
Camp Grace has since been shut down, and camp officials are cooperating with the investigation.