Milledgeville hospital restricts youth visitation during flu season

MILLEDGEVILLE, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – The Oconee Regional Medical Center in Milledgeville is restricting youth from visiting the hospital during the flu season.

Effective immediately, children must be 12 or older to visit patients on the third and fourth  floors of ORMC.  Any visitor who has flu-like symptoms will not be allowed to visit patients.  Officials say this is for the protection of patients, visitors, and hospital staff.

Hospital administrators based their decision to restrict youth visitation on information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, along with the prevalence of flu in the region.

According to a news release from the hospital, the CDC is reporting the flu outbreak has become an epidemic in Georgia and cases of H3N2 continue to rise.