With a pretty bad flu bug circulating in the community officials at Soldiers Memorial Hospital here in Orillia are asking people not to visit patients if they have any flu like symptoms.
Hospital spokesman Terry Dyni (denny) says they also are going to be very strict in enforcing the visiting hours to try and keep the flu out of the facility.
He says because bacteria can be easily spread through contact with visitors and health care professionals, they want visitors comply with the visiting policy the hospital has in place.
Dyni says if you do come to the hospital as a visitor, do a complete a thorough hand washing upon entering and exiting the hospital and the patient room.
The best way to prevent the spread of illness is through diligent hand washing.
Dyni says the flu is also having an impact on the emergency room, with more people showing up with flu like symptons.
He says the number people that normally have a cough or fever run in the 3 to 5 per cent of patients coming to emergency.
Dyni says with the flu established in the community the number of patients coming in with flu like symptons is up in the 15 or 16 per cent range.
Dyni also says that the emergency room is a lot busier these days because of the flu.
He says that s also having an impact on the medical floors where beds are at a premium and some patients are being held longer than usual in emergency until a bed becomes free.
