Texas church camp leaves 125 guests infected with Covid-19

Hundreds more thought exposed when campers returned home

Summer camps for children remain very popular across the US, though Covid-19 has led to precautions and restrictions (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

More than 125 campers at a “student ministry camp” in Texas have been infected with Covid-19.

The Clear Creek Community Church of League City sent a message to its members over the Fourth of July holiday weekend informing them of an outbreak of the coronavirus during the recent camping trip.

More than 450 people attended the four-day youth camping trip at Camp Tejas, located near Giddings, Texas, Newsweek reported.

Many of those at the camp were children in school grades six through 12, aged between 11 and 18.

In addition to the 125 confirmed cases of Covid, hundreds more were exposed to the virus, according to the message from the church.

Further to that, hundreds of others were likely exposed when infected people returned home from the retreat in June.

All Americans over the age of 12 are eligible to receive a Covid-19 vaccination.

Church services on Sunday and this coming Wednesday have been cancelled as a result of the outbreak. Officials have asked anyone displaying symptoms to seek medical attention immediately.

As part of a phased transition back to in-person worship, the church had removed all in-person restrictions on 9 May.

The statement from church leadership reads: “From the beginning of the pandemic, we have sought to love our neighbours by practicing strict safety protocols. We are surprised and saddened by this turn of events. Our hearts break for those infected with the virus. Please pray for a speedy and complete recovery for all of those affected.”

The Galveston County Health District (GCHD) is now working to confirm how many cases have resulted from the cluster.

A statement from GCHD released prior to the holiday weekend states that as the investigation into the outbreak continues, the health district is tracing potential contacts and offering guidance and resources.

The youth group did not leave the campground during their stay. They did have contact with counsellors from their church. No other campers were on site.

“This is a reminder that Covid-19 is still here and we have to take precautions,” said Dr. Philip Keiser, Galveston County Local Health Authority. “If you’re old enough to get vaccinated and haven’t, now is the time. These vaccines are safe and offer the best protection against Covid-19 to you, your family, and your community.”

Just over 58 per cent of the population of Texas over the age of 12 has been at least partially vaccinated against Covid. The fully vaccinated number is just over 50 per cent.

Nationally, 64.3 per cent of the total US population over the age of 12 has been partially vaccinated and 55.4 per cent are fully vaccinated.