Measles Outbreak Traced to Christian Science Camp

A major outbreak of measles has been traced to a 17-year-old girl who came down with the highly contagious disease while attending a summer camp for Christian Scientists near Buena Vista last month, officials said today.

The Colorado Department of Health staff investigated the case after learning that 220 youths and many staff members at the Adventure Unlimited Ranches camp may not have been immunized against measles, a spokeswoman said.

The health officials offered to vaccinate the youths, department spokeswoman Ann J. Lockhart said, but the camp staff believed that there was not enough time to get parental permission and that most parents--if not all--would refuse on religious grounds.

The health officials say 25 cases have been reported in nine states, including nine cases in California, and more are expected because many of the teen-agers who went home now have exposed their families to the illness.

The teen-agers and camping staff were from 24 states.

Dr. Tom Novotny of the Health Department said the camp staff and Health Department decided to let campers leave early, remaining under quarantine at their homes from July 27 to Aug. 5, and advised their parents to report any suspected cases to their local health departments.

Three Colorado children have become ill with measles, Novotny said, and state health departments nationwide have been reporting cases to him for the last week.