Indiana hospitals are taking precautions to prevent the spread of the flu virus among patients, staff and visitors as the state sees a surge in influenza cases.
Hospitals from South Bend to Evansville have imposed restrictions that include barring visitors other than immediate family or other significant persons.
Locally, Riverview Health is taking added precautions to protect its patients, families, staff members and community from unnecessary exposure to influenza. On Friday, Dec. 29, Riverview Health implemented these temporary visitation restrictions:
- No visitors with influenza-like illness, fever or cough.
- No visitors under the age of 16, unless special arrangements are made.
- No visitors except immediate family, partner or significant other.
Officials from Riverview Health stated, “As we work to provide a safe environment for our patients and staff, we apologize for any inconvenience this visitation restriction may cause. We will continue to monitor conditions and remove the restrictions as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says Indiana was among 23 states with “widespread” flu activity.
WISH TV, the Reporter’s news gather partner, reported State health officials consider Indiana to have entered flu season once complaints of flu-like illnesses account for at least two percent of visits to hospitals and doctors’ offices. Indiana didn’t hit that two percent baseline during its last flu season until early February, but data from state health officials show the state reached that level in mid-December.