Cases of flu and other respiratory illnesses are increasing across the country, including South Carolina
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COLUMBIA, S.C. — The increase in the number of cases of flu and other respiratory illnesses in South Carolina has at least one Midlands health care system restricting patient visitation at local hospitals.
Prisma Health will begin restricting children under the age of 16 from visiting hospitalized patients on Wednesday, January 15. Exceptions may be made to the visitation restriction by the attending physician and local leadership.
Jacie Volkman, executive director of Prisma’s Department of Infection Prevention, said, “By taking this proactive best-practice step, we can ensure our hospitals remain safe places for our patients to receive high-quality care.”
Prisma Health operates Prisma Health Richland, Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, and Prisma Health Baptist hospitals in Columbia. Hospital officials are also asking people with a fever, who may have tested positive for any respiratory illness or suspects may have one to not visit patients.
News19 has reached out to MUSC Providence and Lexington Medical Center regarding any visitation restrictions. While MUSC has also seen an uptick in cases, at this time, that hospital system is not limiting visitation.
So far this flu season, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported there have been at least 5.3 million flu illnesses, 63,000 hospitalizations, and 2,700 deaths — including 17 children — across the United States.
In South Carolina, there have been three flu-related deaths reported to the SC Department of Public Health (SCDPH). SCDPH’s latest Respiratory Disease Watch (December 29, 2024, to January 4, 2025) recorded 2,000 cases of flu, 500 cases of COVID-19, and just over 500 cases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
SCDPH is offering free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests — one test kit per person, per visit — at local DPH public health departments. Each test kit contains two tests. You can also order free kits — 4 at a time — online through the US Health & Human Services at covidtests.gov
Health officials offer these tips to help stop the spread of illness during the cold-and-flu season:
Wash hands often with soap and water. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. If you are sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Put tissue in the trashing after using it, then perform hand hygiene such as washing your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
Rise in flu and respiratory illness cases cause visitation restrictions
