E.coli Outbreak at Goshen Camp
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Updated: 5:18 PM Aug 4, 2008
E.coli Outbreak at Goshen Camp
Goshen, Va.
A number of people in Virginia and Maryland have been hospitalized after an E.coli breakout at a boy scout reservation in Rockbridge county.
Posted: 8:15 PM Aug 1, 2008
Reporter: Meg Gatto
Email Address: mgatto@whsv.com
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A number of people in Virginia and Maryland have been hospitalized after an E.coli breakout at a boy scout reservation in Rockbridge county. Officials have confirmed at least 15 cases of E.coli and between 50 and 60 reported illnesses.

It was a quiet day at the Goshen boy scout reservation Friday. As scouts played in the background, scout executive Al Lambert held a press conference to explain how the health department and the camp are working together from preventing anyone else getting sick.

Lambert says, "We made several proactive changes and fundamental changes. The first thing we did was we took hamburger products off the menu for this week and next week because as you know, hamburger is a primary source for potential contamination."

Goshen resident Timmy Ingram says he too suspects bad food may be the culprit.

He says "I would say it's some bad beef that they got a hold of or under cooked beef."

Ingram's sister, a former camp employee, says she saw a box of beef sit out in the sun for 30 minutes just days before people started getting sick.

Whatever the cause of the breakout, Lambert says now is the time to clean up procedures and educate the boys on how to be safe.

He says, "Making sure that everybody is washing their hands at the appropriate time, that any food prepared in the camp sites are cooked to the proper temperature."

About 900 boy scouts are scheduled to arrive on Mnday for a week at the Goshen camp. Lambert says every parent has been made aware of the E.coli situation, but it doesn't appear to be affecting attendance. No one has pulled their child out of camp.

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