Influenza outbreak at Grand River Hospital Freeport campus

Grand River Hospital says it is limiting the number of visitors to its Freeport Campus as it monitors an influenza outbreak.

"At this time of year, it's almost inevitable that we are going to see influenza activity increasing,"Mark Karjaluoto, director of communicationswith the hospital,said Thursday.

The outbreak is located in the Grand River Terrace level four, in the east and south courts.

Three patients havecoughs, sore throats, muscle aches orfever, which are symptoms consistent withinfluenza, the hospital said in a release.

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"Just after New Year's Day, we encountered a patient who did test positive for influenza A and there were two others in a similar area who had symptoms," he added.

Karjaluoto said the hospital, with the help ofRegion of Waterloo Public Health, decided to declare an outbreak for two units, including one where no one is displaying symptoms yet.

"While there haven't been symptomatic patients, they do share dining facilities."

Visitorsto the hospital'sFreeport Campus will be limiteduntil the outbreak is lifted.

"Visitors with symptoms of a cold, influenza or a stomach virus are advised to stay home and not enter a hospital until they've been free of symptoms for two days," the hospital said.

Patients isolated, activities postponed

Hospital officials are takingsteps to thekeep the illness from spreading. The hospital said these steps includeisolating patients with symptoms, postponing group activities and "aggressive" cleaning.

GRH and Region of Waterloo Public Health said it will lift the outbreak once the Freeport Campus has beenfree of new cases for five days.

The hospital, located in Kitchener, is the largest in Waterloo Region.