Swine flu concerns shut down MDA camps

Summary

he Muscular Dystrophy Association has canceled its summer camps nationwide as a precaution after several cases of swine flu surfaced at three of its camp sites. None of the affected sites was in Washington state.

Story Published: Jun 19, 2009 at 9:41 PM PST

Story Updated: Jun 20, 2009 at 10:01 AM PST

Swine flu concerns shut down MDA camps

This image taken through a microscope shows the H1N1 strain of the swine flu virus.

SEATTLE -- The Muscular Dystrophy Association has canceled its summer camps nationwide as a precaution after several cases of swine flu surfaced at three of its camp sites.

None of the affected sites was in Washington state.

On Friday MDA said it would close its 33 currently ongoing camps immediately. The 50 scheduled camps have been canceled.

The cancellation includes the MDA summer camp that was to be held at Camp Seymore at Purdy.

The news has Noah Blanton, who was signed up for the Purdy camp, sorely disappointed.

"Sad. I really wanted to do this," he said.

"It was really disappointing. He really wanted to go," said Blanton's mother, Aimee Blanton. "He's been looking forward to going since the last day of camp last year."

Three cases of swine flu were reported at a camp site in Clayton, Georgia. Six more cases surfaced at two separate camp sites in Henderson, North Carolina.

In Pueblo, Colorado, 14 boys at a Boy Scout camp have been isolated after developing flu-like symptoms. And a camp in Santa Rosa, California delayed opening after a staff member came down with this new flu strain.