Monticello — Some five weeks after introducing additional visitation precautions to help curb the flu, officials at Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital have announced they are relaxing restrictions a bit.

According to Judy Keen, RN, BSN, CIC, Lake Cumberland Regional Hospital Infection Control Preventionist, the number of flu cases at the hospital has decreased significantly. "We have been closely monitoring the number of cases of flu and flu-like symptoms we have treated in our emergency department," stated Keen. "And, the number of cases we are seeing in our emergency department at this time has decreased by about 50 percent."

Keen noted that the peak of flu cases at the hospital occurred during the last week of October. "Since then, the number of cases we have treated has slowly continued to decrease."

This is a trend that seems to be consistent throughout the state. The most recent weekly update from the Kentucky Department of Public Health stated, "the current wave of H1N1 seems to have peaked" in Kentucky.

When flu became more widespread throughout the area, the hospital implemented their pandemic flu plan, introducing initial flu precautions on October 3. The first wave of precautions included common-sense safety measures, however, slightly less than two weeks later the hospital introduced a second, more advanced level of precautions in response to an inpatient death that occurred as a result of H1N1. The second level of the pandemic flu plan included limiting access to the hospital to only two

doors: the emergency department and the entrance at the main level of the parking garage.

Along with the limited access, all individuals who entered the hospital were screened for flu and flu-like symptoms by completing a questionnaire.

Masks were also made available at the screening table for individuals who merited extra protection.

Fortunately, the additional flu precautions were very effective.

According to Keen, the hospital hasn't experienced a single case of hospital-acquired influenza since the precautions were introduced.

As a result of the decrease in cases, the hospital will be removing the second, more limiting level of precautions.

"Beginning Monday, November 23, all of our regular access doors to the hospital will be reopened," stated Keen. 

Patients and guests will be able to enter through any of three

entrances: the main front door entrance and both parking garage entrances.

The emergency department entrance, however, will continue to be limited only for emergency department patients. Patients with flu and flu-like symptoms will continue to be segregated from the rest of the emergency department population to help curb the spread of the disease.

"We hope people will continue to be vigilant in watching out for flu and flu-like symptoms, even though we are relaxing some of the restrictions,"

said Keen, who noted that the first level of precautions will stay in effect‹at least for the time being. These precautions include:

€ No children under the age of 18 will be permitted in the hospital, unless they are coming to seek care.

€ Visitation is limited to individuals with NO signs or symptoms of influenza.

‹ If you have a runny/stuffy nose, cough, fever of 100 degrees or more, sore throat, chills, headache, body aches, and/or fatigue, please DO NOT come to the hospital unless you are seeking care.

€ The maternal child, postpartum, labor and delivery and pediatric units will continue to limit visitors to immediate family only and no children under the age of 18.

€ Patients who come to the hospital for care with flu-like symptoms will be asked to wear a mask.

€ Masks are available at every initial point of contact in the hospital.

€ Patients with flu-like symptoms who come to the emergency department for care will be segregated from patients with non flu-like symptoms. They will also be treated in an area separate from other ED patients.

"We happy to be able to relax our precautions a bit," stated Keen. "And, we are very grateful to our community for their understanding and for their continued cooperation as we maintain our efforts to help keep our patients, guests and employees flu-free," stated Keen.

Hospital officials stated they will continue to monitor the situation and make further adjustments as the situation improves.