DAYTON, Ohio — Hospitals are setting new restrictions on who can visit after a spike in patients coming in with flu-like symptoms.

What You Need To Know

  • Hospitals across the state are reporting a significant jumps in illnesses associated with fever, coughing, congestion, flu and other respiratory illnesses 

  • Dayton-area hospitals are starting visitor restrictions because of the spike in numbers. The restrictions will be for anyone showing flu-like symptoms or children under 14 

  • Officials say the restrictions will be in place until about February when the amount of cases are expected to go down

Doctors aren’t taking any chances. They're taking precautions to see sick patients, and they say this time of year, there’s more of them.

“We've seen an increase in respiratory infections and those are things associated with anything from the common cold to COVID, as well as influenza," said Dr. Roberto Colon, chief medical officer at Premier Health.

Colon said holiday travel may be behind the uptick in flu-like illnesses, and some can cause worse illnesses.

“We see things like coronaviruses that are not COVID. We see adenoviruses, we see other more severe forms of viruses that can also be associated para influenza that can also cause some additional illnesses, but we certainly are seeing an increase in influenza," said Colon. 

In fact, according to the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association, hospitalizations from these flu-like illnesses went up 150% in the last two weeks and emergency room visits went up 20%.

“Oftentimes we actually start monitoring for influenza like illnesses, and particularly flu a and b in October and so seeing this start to spike in the latter part of December, we anticipated that we would be approaching this point," said CEO of the Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association Sarah Hackenbracht.

That’s why Hackenbracht said they’re taking action. Starting Jan. 3, there will be visitor restrictions on anyone showing flu-like symptoms or under age 14. 

“When these types of respiratory illnesses are circulating so broadly in the community and we know that they're impacting children, think about the provider,” said Hackenbracht. 

She said all 29 hospitals that are a part of the association in the Dayton region will be following the guidelines until about February when those flu-like symptoms doctors keep seeing are expected to go down.

Across the state, hospitals in Lorain County near Cleveland are also reporting more flu-like symptoms. The local health department reports a 7.5% jump in positive influenza cases and confirmed COVID-19 cases increased by 28% in the past week.