Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal and Advocate Eureka Hospital are the latest medical facilities to enact visitor restrictions because of a rise in flu cases.
Advocate officials released a statement Tuesday that visitors younger than 18 will not be allowed in any inpatient areas until further notice. The hospitals are only allowing two visitors in any patient room at a time, and they are telling anyone experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue to avoid trying to visit patients.
“We have been closely monitoring influenza activity and have seen an increase in cases across the region,” said Advocate Aurora Health Vice President of Infection Prevention Linda Stein. “In an effort to keep our patients safe, we are taking proactive measures to limit the spread of the flu by implementing certain visitor restrictions.”
OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington issued similar visitor restrictions earlier this month when it saw a rise in flu cases.
“It is never too late to get a flu vaccine during flu season and we encourage anyone six months or older, including pregnant mothers, to get a shot,” Stein said.
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