While no patients at either campus have contracted influenza, officials at Windsor Regional Hospital are taking precautions to prevent its spread.
The hospital is:
- Limiting the number of visitors for each patient’s stay, expect for Paediatrics.
- Limiting visitors attending 4North RCU (Met) , oncology, Expectant Moms or Moms who have delivered a baby, and Pediatrics must wear a surgical mask.
- Requiring any visitor to any patient to wear a mask at the staff’s discretion as well
- Restricting children 14 years old and under from visiting the hospital.
- However, making exceptions on compassionate grounds.
Officials warn if conditions get worse these restrictions will be stepped up, and hope the measures will be temporary.
It follows an influenza outbreak has been declared at Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare.
There are now two confirmed cases and 13 suspected cases of influenza a in the west end facility. As a result, the hospital is not accepting any new patients into the two outbreak areas.
“It is our intent to open units as quickly as possible so we don't impede flow across system,” says hospital CEO Janice Kaffer.
Kaffer says the outbreak is also affecting patient transfers from Windsor Regional Hospital.
“The system implications of that can be significant,” says Kaffer. “The ER department at Windsor Regional will get busier if cant clear patients to come here and they don’t have beds. There can be ripple effects.”
Visitor restrictions are in place. Individuals with flu like symptoms such as fever, runny nose, cough or muscle aches are asked to avoid the hospital until all symptoms are gone. Children under 14 are restricted from attending the affected area of the Emara building.
A number of long-term care facilities are also dealing with outbreaks. In total, there are 56 confirmed cases of the flu in Windsor-Essex. It's early in the flu season, so health officials expect to see many more cases and they say the flu shot is still the best defence.
By the end of last year, the health unit distributed more than 140,000 doses of the flu vaccine in the community, 10 per cent more than the previous year.
