Hospitals Restrict Visitors to Curb Spread of Flu

AS FLU SEASON PICKS UP across the country, hospitals are restricting visitors in an effort to prevent spread of the virus.

New York City and 19 states have experienced high levels of flu-like activity so far this season, with 1,562 lab-confirmed, flu-related hospitalizations as of Oct. 1, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Dec. 29, 13 children had died after being diagnosed with the virus.

The influx of influenza-like cases in recent weeks has prompted hospitals in New Jersey, North Carolina, Indiana and elsewhere to impose restrictions on visitors. They generally ask that people with flu or cold symptoms – including coughing, nausea and fatigue – and children stay away until the end of flu season, which typically peaks from December to February.

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