Flu surge in SC leads Columbia hospitals to restrict visitors, call for precautions
The flu is hitting South Carolina hard this holiday season, and doctors are reacting by asking for the public’s help in keeping the sickest people safe.
The Prisma Health hospital system announced new restrictions on its Columbia-area hospitals this week. Starting Wednesday, Prisma Health hospitals are restricting children under the age of 16 from visiting in order to halt the spread of a virulent strain of influenza sweeping the state, the health system announced. Hospital visitors are also encouraged to wear masks for the time being.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control reported last week that through Dec. 16, just more than 19,000 cases of influenza had been confirmed in South Carolina for the current season. More than 1,100 people had been hospitalized during the current flu season and 12 people had died.
Dr. Helmut Albrecht told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that South Carolina has seen a surge in Influenza A, the most common virus to spring up during the winter months. Hospitals are also seeing a smaller surge in the seasonal Influenza B variant, said Albrecht, an infectious disease specialist. While COVID-19 and RSV are not seeing as high a surge right now, they add up to a strain on hospital resources.
Albrecht said up to 20% of patients currently in Prisma Health hospitals have been admitted with Influenza A. “About a fifth to a sixth of visits are driven by influenza-like illnesses,” he said. “It’s a significant burden in our communities.”
While the “vast majority” of flu cases don’t require hospitalization, Albrecht said the rates of hospitalization and death from flu-like diseases right now is “disturbing.” Precautions are needed to prevent patients admitted for other reasons from catching the flu during their hospital stay, and to stop the virus spreading among hospital staff, he said. Thousands of people nationwide will likely die from the flu this year, Albrecht said.
“Right now the ER is not a safe space for visitors, especially children, and we don’t want more influenza coming into our hospital,” he said.
Prisma Health runs several hospitals in the Columbia area, including Prisma Health Richland, Prisma Health Baptist and Prisma Health Baptist Parkridge.
Albrecht said people can still receive this year’s vaccines for flu, COVID and RSV, and may also consider wearing a mask when they are around large groups of people. “It’s not a sign of weakness or a political stance,” he said of face masks. “It’s a sign you want to help out yourself or somebody else.”
He said parents should not bring children into the hospital with flu-like symptoms unless their breathing becomes impaired. “If you can keep the dehydration low, if they can take oral (food and medicine) and you can manage the fever, cough, and other symptoms, most parents know how to do that.”
The State reached out to Lexington Medical Center about any similar flu cases in their hospital, but had not received a response before publication.
This story was originally published December 27, 2023 at 1:54 PM.
.jpg)