Until further notice, do not plan to visit any patients at the Hospital of Saint Raphael if you have flu-like symptoms.
The hospital imposed this rule Friday in response to the continuing spread of the so-called swine flu, H1N1.
Yale-New Haven Hospital already posted similar restrictions for visitors.
St. Raphael’s issued a release Friday stating, “In order to protect the health of patients, visitors and staff during the current H1N1 flu outbreak, [the hospital] is asking those with any symptoms of respiratory illness to refrain from visiting patients at this time.”
The announcement was not prompted by a local outbreak, worsening outcomes, or any other specific development.
Connecticut has 637 confirmed and probable cases of H1N1 flu, including one death. New Haven has had several cases, but all of the patients have recovered. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 17,855 cases and 45 deaths.
The influenza virus emerged unexpectedly in March and April, and the strain is a novel mixture of human, avian and swine influenzas.
Public health officials initially worried that the virus could sweep the globe, repeating the pandemic of 1918, which killed tens of millions.
The World Health Organization has declared the H1N1 virus to be a pandemic, meaning that it is in circulation around the world. Cases have been recorded in 70 countries.
So far, the H1N1 flu has not been particularly virulent and appears not to be easily transmissible, but these characteristics could change as the virus develops and mutates.
As with any influenza outbreak, people with compromised immune systems and chronic health problems are considered to be at higher risk from the swine flu.
The St. Raphael’s restrictions include people who have symptoms including cough, sore throat, fever, chills, runny nose. or body aches. Twelve-year-olds are also not allowed to visit patients, including newborn siblings, until further notice.
Officials at Yale-New Haven said to their knowledge nothing has happened locally that warrants additional restrictions on hospital visitors.
Yale-New Haven has posted signs and hand-washing dispensers at the entrance to the hospital in recent years.
“For many years Yale-New Haven Hospital has had a policy of restricted and limited visitation for anyone that is currently experiencing respiratory infection, such as cold or flu-like symptoms,” the hospital said Friday in a prepared statement.
“Since the initial outbreak of the H1N1 virus, the hospital further increased these communications efforts,” according to the statement.
Both hospitals, and the CDC, recommend that people with flu-like symptoms — fever, sore throat, aches and pains, and runny nose — cough or sneeze into a tissue, or in some other way cover their faces. Ill people should remain at home to avoid infecting co-workers.
People, and especially visitors to hospitals, should wash their hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, or with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.