Hospitals take H1N1 precautions
By Donna Barker
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dbarker@bcrnews.com
The H1N1 flu is no doubt in the Bureau County area, even if a confirmed diagnosis is not always made, according to area health officials.
Rex Conger, president/CEO at Perry Memorial Hospital in Princeton, said the hospital has not seen a significant increase in the volume or type of patient coming into the emergency department, but there has been one confirmed H1N1 case so far this year.
“We have also seen a limited number of very sick people who likely have H1N1,” Conger said. “We know there are people in the community with H1N1.”
Testing for H1N1 isn’t done unless the person is hospitalized, Conger said. The testing is done to help the state monitor the H1N1 situation. The treatment course is already underway by the physician before test results would be returned by the state.
Ramey Lovelady, infection control coordinator for St. Margaret’s Hospital in Spring Valley, said St. Margaret’s has not had any confirmed cases of H1N1 flu but has seen several likely cases.
Again, people are not tested for H1N1 unless they are hospitalized and a physician orders the test, as recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health, Lovelady said. People are being treated on the basis of their symptoms, she said.
That treatment may not require the use of medications. Instead, the treatment may be to tell the person to go home and get plenty of rest and stay hydrated. Most people with mild illnesses will recover without any medical intervention, she said.
As in other years, signs are posted at the hospital doors asking people not to visit patients if the visitors have any flu-like symptoms, Lovelady said.
Overall, St. Margaret’s is seeing more people than usual coming to the hospital with flu symptons this year. Lovelady said one possible reason for the increased reports and hospital visits is because people are aware of the potential severity of H1N1 flu.
To protect others at the hospital, people with flu symptoms are asked to put on face masks when they come into the hospital. They are then taken to triage treatment rooms, Lovelady said.
Perry Memorial is also taking precautions when people enter the building, Conger said. There are stations in the lobbies where people can wash and sanitize their hands. Face masks are also available to help protect patients in the hospital. However, there have been no signs posted limiting visitors or visiting hours at PMH, Conger said.
Just to the west of Bureau County, the Kewanee Hospital has announced a restriction of visitors to the hospital because of the flu.
Effective immediately and until further notice, hospital visitors will be limited to those 18 years of age and older, according to the hospital’s Web site. In addition, anyone showing flu-like symptoms should not visit hospitalized patients, who have weakened immune systems and are therefore more susceptible to the spread of illness.
While the Kewanee Hospital supports the family of patients, the decision to limit visitors was made to protect the patients, according to Jennifer Junis, chief nursing officer. Children have been particularly susceptible to the H1N1 virus and may be contagious even if symptoms are not obvious, she said.
“Please consider very carefully whether your visit to the hospital is a necessity,” Junis said. “As a community, we need to work together to prevent the spread of influenza.”
Another area hospital, the CGH Medical Center of Sterling has announced it will limit visits to patients for the health and safety of not just the patients but also the entire community.
Those new restrictions include no visitors under the age of 18; only two visitors in a room at one time; and all visitors must be flu-free, with no fever, cough or cold.
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