Southern Illinois summer camp closes facilities for week following COVID-19 outbreak

Lake Sallateeska Baptist Camp near Pinkneyville is closed this week as a precaution after multiple cases of COVID-19 were confirmed when summer campers returned home last week.

“A local association that used the facility had 12 confirmed cases of the virus in the days after 160 campers returned home,” the Illinois Baptist State Association announced. “Two volunteers and one Lake Sallateeska staff member tested positive.”

The association said its Bounce children’s camp has been moved to Streator Baptist Camp this week as a result.

Meanwhile, The Southern Illinoisan newspaper reported that the health department in Wabash County warned people about possible exposure to the virus from children or adults who attended the camp from July 10 - July 16. The department urged people who may have been exposed to the campers to get tested.

People who attended the summer camp were from the Greater Wabash Baptist Association, WSILTV.com reported.

The outbreak is at least the second reported at an Illinois summer church camp over the past month.

More than 50 peopled were infected with COVID-19 stemming from the Crossing Camp in Rushville, the Pike County Health Department said.

The nearby Schuyler County Health Department said the coronavirus exposure happened during a camp from June 13 to 17. The camp is for children in the 8th through 12th grades, according to the camp website.

The organization postponed another camp until August as a precaution and cleaned and disinfected the facility following CDC guidelines, according to officials.

Chacour Koop, a McClatchy News real-time reporter, contributed to this article.

This story was originally published July 19, 2021 at 1:27 PM.