There have been some precautionary measures taken by area hospitals in the past week regarding swine flu.

At McDowell ARH, notices have been posted for the public explaining the recent increases in the number of flu patients and urging visitors to keep healthy children out of the emergency room and waiting area as much as possible.

Another step at ARH has been to ask patients being treated or tested for flu to wear masks, while health care workers at the hospital have also been wearing masks.

In Martin, administration with Saint Joseph has enacted several precautions as well. Among those are restrictions that visitors are now to be at least 18 years of age, with no children under that age allowed in the hospital at all unless seeking treatment.

Likewise, visitation within the facility itself has been limited to those without flu symptoms and individuals visiting the hospital for care with symptoms will be asked to wear masks.

Pikeville Medical Center representatives said in a press release last week they would also be incorporating the 18 years or older restriction, urging patients and visitors to wear face masks and mentioned also locations where hand sanitizer dispensers were located within the facility.

“We are taking a very proactive approach to the flu virus,” said Jerry Johnson, chief operating officer at Pikeville Medical Center. “As we continue to combat this virus, we ask that our visitors follow the precautionary measures we have put in place.

Though there was no official word from Highlands Regional Medical Center in Prestonsburg as of press time, this facility was also taking measures similar to those of the other hospitals in the area.

Children are now considered among the highest within the population to be at risk for swine flu, said Neva Francis at Saint Joseph’s, with most major outbreaks occurring in schools.

“These adjustments have been made effective immediately,” Francis wrote in a press release Tuesday. “We ask for your understanding and cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience these changes may cause.”

All hospitals have urged those showing symptoms of runny or stuffy nose, cough, fever of more than 100 degrees or more, sore throat, chills, headache, body aches or fatigue to not come to the hospital unless they are seeking treatment.