DETROIT – The Detroit Medical Center is tightening its visitor policies amid a surge in flu cases across Michigan.
This comes as the state reports its highest number of child flu deaths in 20 years.
Patients are allowed up to two visitors at any one time.
Visitors ages 12 and under are not allowed on inpatient hospital floors or in observation units.
Visitors ages 13 and older who have a fever, cough, or rash are asked not to visit.
All visitors with illness or cold symptoms are also asked to refrain from visiting.
“We’ve seen an uptick rate over about three or four consecutive weeks, where the test positivity rate started in the small two to four percent range, later went up to about nine percent, thirteen percent two weeks ago, and we were close to twenty-one percent last week,” said Chief Medical Officer at Children’s Hospital Michigan Dr. Rudolph Valentini. “This is the time to get your flu shot. Please protect yourself and our community and your friends and family by getting your flu shot because the flu is here.”
Noelle Friel comes to Local 4 from Louisville, Kentucky where she worked as a weekend evening anchor and weekday reporter for the local NBC affiliate WAVE News. With her hometown located near the Indiana-Michigan border, she has always considered Michigan a home away from home and is so excited to continue telling impactful stories in Detroit.