Nineteen cadets at a military-style youth academy in Laurel, Maryland, were transported to area hospitals Sunday after falling ill with an unknown sickness. A mass casualty response was initiated at the Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy, operated by the D.C. National Guard, after cadets began experiencing symptoms following lunch.
Cadets reported symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and nausea. One mother stated that her son's blood tests indicated elevated carbon monoxide levels, though Anne Arundel County Fire Department officials reported no detection of elevated carbon monoxide after an investigation. The cause of the illness has not yet been confirmed, but officials are considering food as a potential factor.
The Capital Guardian Youth Challenge Academy is a program for at-risk teenagers. Following the incident, the academy decided to temporarily close. The D.C. National Guard stated that the health and safety of its cadets and staff are a top priority and that they are cooperating with emergency medical personnel and public health authorities.
In addition to the 19 cadets hospitalized, one adult staff member was evaluated at the scene and declined further medical treatment. Health authorities have noted a broader increase in cyclosporiasis cases across 41 states, though this outbreak is not directly linked.