Minn. (WCCO) – The southern part of the state is described as the epicenter of the flu outbreak this year.
Later this week, hospitals and clinics will announce visitor restrictions to help stop the spread, and some have already taking action in hit hard areas like Mankato and New Ulm.
Dr. Joan Krikava, medical director at New Ulm Medical Center, says the numbers are staggering. They’re seeing more people with the flu now than they did at the height of the H1N1 outbreak in 2009.
“We are seeing 50 to 100 extra patients in our clinics and hospitals. That’s about double the number of patients we see in a day. And in our hospital half of our patients have influenza,” Krikava said.
To prevent the spread of the flu, hospitals in this part of the state have implemented visitor restrictions. New Ulm has restrictions in place, and Sleepy Eye, which is 15 miles west, has closed the doors to its medical center to visitors.
Eleven Illinois hospitals had to turn away most patients from their emergency rooms Monday night because of a surge of people with flu symptoms.
The hospitals that were on bypass — a temporary diversion of ambulances to other hospitals because of the volume of patients — included Northwestern Memorial Hospital; University of Chicago Medical Center; Advocate Christ Medical Center; Swedish Covenant Hospital, and Presence of Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center. Only one hospital had gone off bypass as of 6:30 p.m...
With flu on the rise, some Minnesota hospitals limit visitors
- Article by: MAURA LERNER , Star Tribune
- Updated: January 7, 2013 - 9:37 PM
For the first time since the flu pandemic of 2009, hospitals are tightening their visiting rules
