Detroit – The Detroit Medical Center today is implementing new visitor guidelines at all DMC facilities, including the Children's Hospital of Michigan, for the health and safety of our patients, their families and the community.

The new guidelines, which are now in effect, are:

· All patients are allowed up to two visitors at any one time.

· Visitors ages 12 and under, including siblings and other relatives, will not be allowed on inpatient hospital floors or in the observation units.

· Visitors ages 13 and over who have a fever, cough or rash are asked to choose another time to visit. This applies to both private and semi-private rooms. If hospitals have policies that are more restrictive than the proposed guidelines, they will continue to use them.

· Visitors who exhibit illness or cold symptoms are encouraged to visit during a period of wellness.

"Flu cases have been increasing across the United States," said Dr. Teena Chopra, MPH, Corporate Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology and Antibiotic Stewardship for Detroit Medical Center, and professor of infectious diseases at Wayne State University. "According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Michigan influenza activity is also now increasing rapidly. In this period of increased influenza activity in the community, we made these changes for the safety and care of our patients."

Visitor guidelines can also be found on the DMC website at http://www.dmc.org.