Coronavirus outbreak forces Manatee Memorial Hospital to restrict visiting hours
Manatee Memorial Hospital announced Friday evening that it will restrict visiting hours “until further notice,” because of concerns linked to the novel coronavirus outbreak.
Effective immediately, patients will be limited to two adult visitors per day between 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. Visitors will also be subject to a screening by hospital staff to check for symptoms of respiratory illness, such as fever, cough, sore throat or body aches.
The changes are in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s official guidelines for healthcare facilities preparing for COVID-19 patients.
“The hospital is fully operational and is monitoring for symptoms in patients and implementing isolation protocols,” said Kevin DiLallo, CEO of MMH. “We appreciate everyone helping us to keep individuals safe during this time by following these restricted visiting hours.”
The hospital plans to provide hand-washing stations upon entrance, as well as when entering or exiting a patient’s room.
On Friday morning, an Ellenton man at the hospital with flu-like symptoms received test results that said he did not have the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. As of Friday evening, MMH has not hosted a patient diagnosed with COVID-19.
For more information, visit www.ManateeMemorial.com.
