Valley hospitals limiting visitations during flu season

YOUNGSTOWN

Widespread influenza-like illness here and across the state and associated hospitalizations have prompted area hospitals to limit visitation to protect their patients.

Area schools, however, say they have not noticed unusual absenteeism in their student population or staff due to the flu or flu-like

illnesses.

The flu season in Ohio generally runs from October to May, with flu-associated hospitalizations typically peaking between December and February. The current onslaught is the first of the 2016-17 flu season, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

In the first week of January, there were 287 new confirmed flu-associated hospitalizations in Ohio compared with 157 the week before. There have been 654 total flu-associated hospitalizations since flu season began in October.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu activity is on the rise across the country, and the trend is expected to continue for at least several more weeks.

Adult flu-associated deaths are not reportable to ODH, so those statistics are not available. Flu-associated pediatric deaths are reportable, however, but there had been no such deaths reported in Ohio as of Jan. 18, state health officials said.

The 2015-16 flu season started a bit later, and flu-associated hospitalizations did not peak until early March. There were 3,691 total flu-associated hospitalizations during last year’s flu season, the ODH reports.

In its report issued Jan. 18, the state health department said influenza-like illness was widespread throughout the state for the first time for this flu season and the number of associated hospitalizations were rising.

Because of that, Mercy Health-Youngstown has implemented four basic public health guidelines at its hospitals to augment infection-control efforts and protect patients, their families and caregivers, said Don Koenig, executive vice president and chief operating officer.

Likewise, ValleyCare Health System of Ohio is experiencing an increase in flu-related emergency room visits. Thus far, however, the timing, volume and severity of the flu cases treated have been consistent with what is typical for this point in the season, said Trish Hrina, the hospital system’s vice president of marketing and public relations.

With seasonal respiratory syncytial virus – RSV – and influenza on the rise, Akron Children’s Hospital is reinforcing visitor restrictions at its Akron and Mahoning Valley hospital campuses for the safety of patients and to curb the spread of those illnesses.

Read more about the situation in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.