Effective immediately, Haywood Regional Medical Center (HRMC) will begin limited visitation at the hospital due to the increased number of positive flu cases in our hospital, physician practices and urgent care locations. Visitor limitations is a precaution often taken during flu season when flu activity reaches a certain level.

HRMC kindly asks that the following individuals do not visit during this time:

• Children under 16 years of age
• Pregnant women
• People with chronic lung diseases

In order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its patients and to help prevent the spread of infection, HRMC also asks the community to:

• Please limit the number of visitors to three (3) per patient.
• If you have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, cough or runny nose, please do not visit.
• Remember to wash your hands before entering and exiting a patient’s room and after leaving the hospital.
• If you are in the hospital for tests or procedures and have a flu-like illness (fever over 100 degrees with cough or sore throat), please ask for a mask.

“For December, to date, there have been 91 positive flu cases, which includes the Urgent Care Center, Emergency Department, and in-patient cases. This does not reflect the number of rapid flu tests performed in doctors’ offices. According the latest weekly update from the State, the flu is now considered widespread and there have been a total of seven deaths related to the flu so far this season. The regional percentage of flu-like Illness has risen from a baseline of 2.4% to 4.87% as of the last report dated December 21,” said Susan Mahoney, Chief Nursing Officer at HRMC.

The best ways to protect against the flu are to:

• Get vaccinated. It is not too late to get a vaccination.
• Practice good health habits. Avoid close contact with others; stay home when sick; practice good hand hygiene; cover your nose and mouth with a tissue; and avoid touching your eyes or mouth.
• If prescribed by a physician, take flu antiviral drugs.

HRMC is committed to protecting its patients, employees and volunteers, and limiting the further spread of influenza in our community. For more information about the flu and effective prevention methods, visit http://www.cdc.gov/flu/.