Nevada County’s Public Health and Environmental Health Departments in partnership with the Public Health Departments of Butte, Sutter and Yuba Counties, Shady Creek Outdoor School and Event Center and the Sutter County Superintendent of Schools office have been working together to evaluate and mitigate recent norovirus outbreaks at the camp.
No Nevada County students attended Shady Creek Camp during any of these outbreaks.
Nevada County Public Health was notified of cases of gastrointestinal illness experienced by campers the first week and the second week of April. Nevada County’s Public Health and Environmental Health departments began working with Shady Creek to investigate and determine the cause of these illnesses. Norovirus was laboratory confirmed by Butte County Public Health Laboratory with samples provided by camp attendees.
Shady Creek was closed for spring break during the second week of April, with no schools scheduled to attend. At that time, Shady Creek contracted with an outside vendor to do thorough cleaning and disinfection and altered cleaning practices at the recommendation of Nevada County’s Public Health and Environmental Health departments. Shady Creek reopened the third week of April and operated without any episodes of gastrointestinal illness. Nevada County Public Health was notified by the camp during the first and second weeks of May with gastrointestinal symptoms. In response, case investigation, laboratory testing and active surveillance continued between all partners.
All of the aforementioned partners are committed to the health, safety and well-being of the Shady Creek Outdoor School community; and will continue to work together now and in the future to mitigate the spread of norovirus to faculty and students.
“Enhanced cleaning has continued, health screenings of students and staff attending the school was instituted and modification of some program activities has occurred to minimize the risk of spread,” said Dr. Sherilynn Cooke, Nevada County’s health officer.