Local hospitals limit visitors during flu season

In its weekly flu report released Thursday, the Indiana State Department of Health said six of the state’s 11 deaths have occurred in St. Joseph County. Marion County health officials said Friday there has been one death in that county as well as increased flu activity, so they are asking hospitals to limit visitors.

Only immediate family over the age of 18 will be allowed to visit hospital patients at IU Health‘s downtown facilities, as well as those in Carmel, Fishers, and Avon; St. Vincent Health, Franciscan St. Francis Health, Community Health Network, and the Roudebush V.A. Medical Center. Those with flu symptoms, such as fever or cough, are also being asked to stay away.

READ MORE:Flu claims younger victims this season.

Sidney & Lois Eskenazi Hospital and the Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health will start restricting visitors on Monday.

Just over 2.3 percent of all hospital emergency department visits last week here were for flu-like illnesses. Last year at this time, just under 4 percent of visitors to emergency departments complained of flu-like symptoms.

Last year flu activity peaked when about 5 percent of all visitors to Marion County emergency rooms displayed flu-like symptoms.