Two summer camps in Frederick County have confirmed cases of the H1N1 influenza, also known as the swine flu, according to an official with the county's health department.

Darlene Armacost, program manager for Communicable Disease and Prevention, confirmed that three campers at Camp Shoresh in Adamstown had contracted the H1N1 virus, but she would not release the name of the other camp affected.

"Yes, we are addressing it at one other camp," Armacost said.

Six campers at Camp Shoresh in Adamstown have reported flu-like symptoms. Of the six, three are confirmed to have the H1N1 virus, said Rabbi Tzvi Tuchman, the camp's assistant director.

Tuchman said the camp, which has 300 campers, immediately began to implement measures to prevent spreading the virus.

Shoresh was founded in 1979 at the Beth Sholom Congregation in Frederick. The day camp on Pleasant Valley Road in Adamstown is a six-week summer program for Jewish children ages 3 to 15.

The camp's director is Rabbi Dave Finkelstein. It is run by a staff of 10 and numerous counselors.

This is the first major influenza outbreak in recent memory, Tuchman said.

He said staff and campers are using hand sanitizer and all doorknobs have been washed with bleach.

Camp officials sent fliers and e-mails to parents informing them of the outbreak and the measures taken by camp officials. They asked any child or staff member that comes down with a confirmed case of H1N1 to stay home and not return to camp until they have gone 24 hours without a fever and other symptoms.

The campers have recovered and no new cases of the illness were reported. "Everything is under control," Tuchman said.

In response, the Frederick County Health Department is working closely with Shoresh and is providing other summer camp operators with information on how to prevent and control an outbreak. "We know [the flu] is out there. Every time you bring people together someone can get it," Armacost said.

The YMCA, one of the largest camps in the county with 600 children attending, has no known cases of the virus reported, marketing director Tammy O'Connor said.

"All the camps have antibacterial hand sanitizer," O'Connor said. "We're continuing to reinforce the need to wash hands. We've also stepped up efforts everywhere with signs posted reminding people to wash their hands."

Earlier this month, the health department announced that the county's first known case of the H1N1 virus had been treated at Frederick Memorial Hospital.

The hospital has confirmed no new cases, Armacost said.

Since the flu has so far turned out to be milder than health experts predicted, testing patients for the disease is not being done on a regular basis, she said.

E-mail Sherry Greenfield at sgreenfield@gazette.net.

-Symptoms include fever, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

-Your health care provider will determine if flu testing or treatment is needed.

-More information from the Frederick County Health Department: www.co.frederick.md.us/h1n1flu or 301-600-4786