Early flu season impacts Dickinson

CHI St. Alexius-Dickinson announced Friday that due to the severity of this year's influenza strain they would be restricting visitation to all units in the hospital, effective immediately.

Hospital president Reed Reyman said the hospital has been working with leadership in the medical community to come to this decision.

"Actually if you're not sick enough to be in the hospital then you shouldn't be at the hospital right now," Reyman said. "... I know it's really hard when you're having a new baby, but the last thing we want to do is expose the new baby to any illnesses or anything that's airborne right now."

Children are prohibited from visiting patient rooms/areas and visitation is restricted to immediate family. All visitors will be asked to wear a mask.

Additionally if someone is coming into the hospital or clinic seeking care and they are experiencing signs of illness, they must immediately put a mask on. Masks are available at all public entrances.

"It's for everybody's safety too, even if you're healthy we don't want you to come in here and leave sick and we don't want our patients that are here who are sick to become more severe," Reyman said.

The hospital does not know how long the restrictions will be in place, but it will last as long as there is a continuous of flu cases coming into the hospital. Reyman said the hospital has seen a "significant spike" in the number of flu cases recently.

"It's been one of our longest (flu seasons)," Reyman said. "It doesn't seem as severe because they're not all coming at once but as we start looking at the numbers it's been very significant."

Typical flu symptoms can include, fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and tiredness, according for the U.S. Centers for Disease and Control. The CDC noted it is important to remember that not everyone with the flu will have a fever.

At a state level, Jill Baber, influenza surveillance coordinator North Dakota Department of Health, said this year's flu has been a bit earlier than in the past. So far there have been 2,520 flu cases reported for the 2017-18 season, according to data from the department's flu update. Baber said this number seems high compared to 496 cases at this time last year because of the early season.

"It's just variable, it varies pretty wide from season to season," she said, speaking of the early flu season. "It was an extra early season this year and last year was just average."

There have been 10 flu-related deaths in the state this year, which Baber said was also average. She said it is not known whether or not this season will be a moderate or severe season.

Dr. Tanya Skager, with Sanford Health Clinic West in Dickinson, said their clinic has been busy with flu cases this year as well, though she does not believe it is worse than years past.

"I've seen years similar to this in the past," she said. "One thing with this particular strain there's few that get really sick and don't do well but overall actually the majority of the patients while they don't feel good, they and get over it and do fine."

Skager said while there is a particular strain of Influenza A that the flu shot is not covering well, a flu shot can help reduce the severity of the flu and shorten the time someone is sick.

"I would never suggest not getting it," she said. "The flu shot won't give you influenza but for some people you can feel kind of crummy the next day just as your body kind of revs up and gets your immune system going. It's not truly influenza and it's not a reason not to get it."

Ultimately, Skager said if you are not feeling the best it's better to stay home rather than accidentally spread the flu.