Detroit Hospital Revising Visitor Guidelines As Flu Cases Rise

DETROIT — A Detroit hospital is revising its visitor guidelines amid an uptick in flu cases across Michigan.

The Detroit Medical Center implemented new guidelines Thursday at all its locations, including the Children's Hospital of Michigan.

The new guidelines include:

• All patients will be allowed up to two visitors at any one time.
• Visitors who are ages 12 and under, including siblings and other relatives, will not be allowed to visit inpatient hospital floors or in the observation units.
• Visitors who are ages 13 and older who are experiencing a fever, cough or rash are asked to visit another time. This guidance applies to private and semi-private rooms. Hospitals that have policies that are more restrictive than the proposed guidelines will continue to use them.
• Visitors exhibiting illness or cold symptoms are encouraged to visit when they are feeling better and have recovered.

"Flu cases have been increasing across the United States," Detroit Medical Center Corporate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology Teena Chopra said. "According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan influenza activity is also now increasing rapidly. In this period of increased influenza activity in the community, we made these changes for the safety and care of our patients."