Rady Children’s Hospital officials have announced that 11 of their patients were suffering from influenza amid a troubling rise in flu-related illnesses and deaths in San Diego and statewide.
On Friday, Rady Children’s officials released statistics regarding flu-related illnesses at the hospital since January 1.
In total, 13 patients have gone to the ICU with influenza since January 1, according to the data.
Officials said two of the 11 patients currently suffering from a flu-related illness at the hospital have been admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Statistics also show that around 10 to 15 percent of patients seen by Rady Children’s have had the flu or a flu-like illness. Officials said that almost a quarter of the hospital’s patients who have been tested for the flu were later admitted.
Data gathered from Rady Children’s comes as other local hospitals have begun taking precautionary measures as flu-related illnesses have continued to increase around San Diego.
Most recently, children under the age of 14 have been temporarily barred from entering Scripps Health’s five hospitals as officials there try to prevent the recent flu outbreak from spreading.
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Scripps Health officials said children will not be allowed in any of the hospitals unless they are patients themselves or have appointments. The restriction includes banning children from campus lobbies, dining facilities, and common areas.
It’s currently unknown how long the restriction will last.
Meanwhile, county and state health officials have continued their efforts in urging people to get flu shots.
San Diego health officials recently confirmed with NBC 7 that there have been 12 flu-related deaths in San Diego since the flu season began.
Officials said that seven people who died from complications of the flu in San Diego tested positive for Pandemic H1N1, the predominant virus in the county this season.
H1N1 is said to have a preference for children as well as young adults and middle-aged adults.
The state's Department of Public Health announced Friday that there have been 95 confirmed flu-related deaths in California, and 51 additional deaths are still under investigation.
This total includes three children under the age of 10, according to officials.
Statistics show that by this time last year, nine influenza fatalities had been confirmed. In all, 106 were reported in the 2012-13 flu season.
According to health officials it isn’t too late to get vaccinated, as there are at least two months left in the flu season. For a map of where to get the flu vaccine in your area, click here.
