FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Flu spike prompts visitor restrictions for children 14 and younger at CMH Birth Place

Citizens Memorial Hospital has set visitor restrictions starting Friday, Feb. 15 at The Birth Place to protect patients from getting the flu after a spike in flu cases this week.

FOR THE MEDIA

Contacts:

Tamera Heitz-Peek
417-328-7245
theitz@citizensmemorial.com

The Birth Place is the labor and delivery department at CMH.

According to Joylyn Smith, Infection Prevention Coordinator at CMH, 68 percent of positive flu cases this week from all CMH clinics were in children 14 years and younger.

“While the number of overall influenza cases is not high enough at this time to require restrictions to the entire hospital and CMH long-term care facilities, we are asking visitors age 14 and younger and those with symptoms of respiratory illness not to visit patients at The Birth Place,” Smith says.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention suggests three ways to fight the flu: 1. Get the flu vaccine; 2. Take every day preventative actions to stop the spread of germs including limiting contact with people while sick; and 3. If you get the flu, use antiviral drugs to treat your illness. More information can be found at cdc.gov/flu/protect/

For more information about the visitor restrictions at the Birth Place, call 417-326-6000.

February 15, 2019

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