Center asks visitors to stay away
MARS HILL — In yet another sign of the severe and widespread nature of the influenza virus in Aroostook County, officials at The Aroostook Medical Center are asking the public to consider not visiting its long-term care and rehabilitation facility in Mars Hill.
Signs have been posted on the entrances at the Aroostook Health Center (AHC) on Highland Avenue asking members of the public to consider not visiting with residents at this time “due to a large volume of illness.”
“We would most certainly not prevent family of any of our residents from seeing their loved ones. We are making this recommendation to protect the very vulnerable population we serve in hopes of stopping — or at least slowing — the spread of this very serious flu virus,” said Kelly Lundeen, AHC administrator. “We certainly understand if folks need to visit a loved one, so we are asking that individuals who do visit consider wearing a mask, which we will gladly provide.”
This is the latest measure taken by TAMC to respond to the recent surge in numbers of county residents experiencing flu-like symptoms. TAMC’s A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital in Presque Isle has been at or near capacity for nearly a month. In recent weeks, the numbers of patients presenting flu-like symptoms at the Emergency Department and at TAMC’s North Street Health Care Walk-in Clinic has been about twice what is normal this time of year.
TAMC officials will continue to assess the situation at AHC and the surrounding communities to best determine when to lift the non-visitation request.
