Virus creeps into another Broward summer camp

FORT LAUDERDALE – The new coronavirus crept into a second Broward County summer camp, prompting it to close.

One of 35 children attending summer camp at Bass Park in Fort Lauderdale tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday. A camp counselor is also awaiting test results, according to a Fort Lauderdale news release.

The camp, which opened June 15 at 2750 N.W. 19 Street, will remain closed for at least 14 days while the park is thoroughly cleaned and sanitzed, said Fort Lauderdale spokesman Chaz Adams. After that, city leaders will assess conditions and decide whether to reopen, he said.

The parents of all 35 campers were notified, he said.

The camp program at Bass Park was the second Broward-based camp to close within a week. Last week, both the preschool camp and the separate “upper” camp at the David Posnack Jewish Community Center closed after two young campers and three camp counselors contracted the virus.

The JCC’s preschool camp, which had between 80 and 100 participants, was indefinitely suspended. The Florida Department of

Health gave the camp clearance to reopen July 2, but due to the July 4 weekend, preschool director Judith Rose chose to reopen July 6 to all preschool campers who have tested negative for COVID-19, a camp spokeswoman said.

The “upper” camp, which is separated from the preschool camp, has about

170 to 250 campers who are divided into groups of 10 by age. Each group has at least two counselors. After one of the “upper” camp counselors and an “upper” camper contracted the virus, that camp closed temporarily as well.

The news of postive COVID cases comes just a few weeks after Gov. Ron DeSantis said summer camps in Florida could reopen. Ahead of its opening, the JCC said it would put “safety first.”

Parents with COVID-19 related questions may contact the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Broward County at 954-412-7300, the FDOH

24-hour COVID-19 information line at

1-866-779-6121, or email

COVID-19@flhealth.gov. For a list of COVID-19 testing sites in Broward County, please visit https://bit.ly/bctestingsites.

COURTESY CITY OF FORT LAUDERDALE James Bass was Broward’s first black dentist, he helped create the county’s first hospital for blacks. He also pushed for better health care and education. Fort Lauderdale named a park after him.