Sick Kanakuk Campers Sent Home

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Eighteen campers were sent home from a popular summer camp after testing positive for the flu.

Officials at Kananuk near Branson, Missouri said the cases are influenza A and not the H1N1 strain.

Trey Roberts was a camper from Oklahoma who just returned from a 13 day stretch at the camp. On the first day of camp, he said his temperature was taken and he underwent a health screening.

"It was kind of weird to us because we were like, what's the point of this? We're not sick and we wanted to go out there and be kids, but I'm glad they did it so that none of us got sick," Trey said.

The testing was part of a stepped up efforts by the camp in light of fears over the H1N1 flu virus. If a camper came down with a fever, they were tested for the flu. So far, 18 campers have come down with it and were sent home.

"We are testing every kid. It's for influenza A. It's a simple test. It takes 15 minutes to get the results if that person comes back positive then, this summer, we are sending them home," said Kanakuk Camps Executive Director Doug Goodwin.

An e-mail was sent out to parents warning about the flu cases.

"At first I think there is some alarm. We've heard a lot about the H1N1 virus, so you do think a lot of kids in a tight area, could be spreading," said Sherry Roberts, who is Trey's mother.

Sherry said her daughter is headed to Kanakuk next month and she is not very concerned.

"As long as they're allowing campers, I feel that it's safe," Sherry said.

She said she'll send some extra hand sanitizer with her daughter. Other than that, she expects camp to go smoothly.

The camp disinfected areas exposed to the campers who tested positive for the flu.