Hospital visitor restrictions eased

The North Bay General Hospital has made changes to its visitor restrictions.

Further details are included in the following news release issued around 3:30 p.m. by the hospital:


North Bay General Hospital is lifting its visitor restrictions on the Rehabilitation Unit (300 West McLaren Site) following an influenza outbreak on that Unit.
The hospital continues to restrict visitors on 4 West (Scollard site). As well, Paediatric visitors are restricted to parents and guardians only.

The hospital is asking for the public’s cooperation to limit visitors to the hospital. Individuals experiencing any cold or flu like symptoms, and visitors who are not family members or caregivers are not to visit the hospital at this time. Children are asked not to visit the hospital unless absolutely necessary.

Members of the public are encouraged to have an influenza flu shot and can contact their family physician or the Public Health Unit.

The hospital is monitoring the situation on a continuous basis and will reassess the situation on Friday.

Those visitors who do enter the hospital are reminded to wash their hands with the alcohol rinse provided in each lobby before entering AND leaving the facility.

The public is reminded that influenza and gastro illness are easily transmitted and can greatly affect patients and the staff providing care. This effort protects patients and staff from what could be serious complications from the flu and gastro illness. Since influenza and gastro illness are so easily transmitted there is a greater chance of our patients and staff becoming ill if someone experiencing symptoms chooses to visit.

Symptoms of influenza include: fever, sore throat, chest congestion, nausea and/or vomiting, muscle aches and pain. Transmission is by respiratory droplets—a sneeze and direct or indirect contact from contaminated hands and surfaces. Adults are infectious in three to five days from the onset, and children are infectious up to seven days from onset.