Northeastern Estonian hospital bans visitors as flu rages
Ida-Viru Central Hospital has instated a temporary ban on all visitors to its patients, effective Tuesday, March 13, in connection with the continuing spread of influenza and other upper respiratory infections.
In order to avoid the spread of the viral infections to the hospital, visitors have been temporarily banned from all wards.
Patients' loved ones may still bring packages for them to the hospital, but they are to be labeled with the patient's name and ward and left with the hospital coat check attendant, who will ensure they are delivered to the patients.
Speaking with ERR on Tuesday, Aime Keis, a family doctor at Ida-Viru Central Hospital, explained that as the flu has reached and been spreading explosively at the facility, the hospital's infection control director made the call to restrict visitors in an effort to stem the further spread of the flu.
Keis noted that approximately 50 people at the hospital exhibited flu-like symptoms or were diagnosed with the flu over the weekend, which also saw two flu-related deaths.
Editor: Aili Vahtla
