Simcoe Muskoka is renowned as a natural outdoor playground and so it’s no wonder that it’s also a hot spot for recreational camps. We want to be your partner in keeping your campers and staff healthy and safe this season. The information on this page will help you know your duties in regards to the new Ontario Regulation 503/17: Recreational Camps, as well as provide you with resources for controlling communicable diseases in your camp.

Regulations

Changes to the regulations that you should be aware of are listed below.

• Notify the health unit of an outbreak or suspected outbreak of any communicable disease in the recreational camp.
• Ensure that every camper or camp staff member is free of any communicable disease.
• Include a section on communicable disease control as part of your camp safety plan.

Infection prevention and control

Understanding and following basic infection prevention and control practices will help prevent or limit infections and outbreaks in your camp. Here are a few resources and topics to that you can include in your camp safety plan and share with staff.

• Routine practices
• Hand hygiene
• Cleaning and disinfection
• Exposure to blood and body fluids

Infectious diseases and reporting requirements 

You may find the following disease information and resources helpful in the event of illness at your camp. We also included information about diseases of public health significance which camp physician or nurses are required to report to the health unit under the Health Promotion and Protection Act. By reporting these diseases, we can help you effectively manage the illness in your camp. 

• Diseases of Public Health Significance list
• Health Unit Notification Form for Diseases of Public Health Significance
• Reportable and Non-Reportable Diseases Quick Reference
• Common Childhood Illnesses: A Guide for Caregivers
• Disease Fact Sheets

Outbreak resources

When you report an outbreak to us, we work with you to manage the outbreak at your camp. Initially, we may come on site to inspect food preparation and handling, review outbreak control measures, and arrange delivery of sample kits. We also provide daily support by phone to answer questions and manage the outbreak. Below you will find resources to effectively control further spread of illness to campers and staff.

Enteric resources

• Enteric Outbreak Checklist
• Enteric Line List Form - Campers and Staff
  

Respiratory resources

• Respiratory Outbreak Checklist
• Respiratory Illness Line List Form - Campers and Staff

To report an outbreak or to speak with our staff, call the Infectious Diseases Reporting Line at 705-721-7520 or toll-free 1-877-721-7520 ext. 8809, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or our after-hours through our on-call line at 1-888-225-7851.