Southeast Health confirms its second case of coronavirus

The case brings Houston County’s total cases to three.

However, the hospital did not release any information about the patient.

As of Tuesday evening, the Alabama Department of Public Health confirmed 242 positive cases of the COVID-19 in the state, including only one positive case for Houston County.

According to the Southeast Health website, the health-care facility is reporting two confirmed cases. Additionally, the website notes that the facility has 26 pending cases and 17 cases which reported negative results for the virus.

The hospital’s first case was reported last week, and that person, who is from Georgia, is still a patient, the hospital confirmed. The patient’s condition was not released Tuesday.

On Monday, Extendicare Health and Rehabilitation in Dothan announced that it had one patient who had tested positive and two others waiting coronavirus test results.

Restricted access

As of March 20, visitors are no longer allowed at most Southeast Health locations (except essential-care visitors).

According to hospital’s media-relations office, the new policy will be in place until the transmission of coronavirus is no longer a threat to patients, staff and the community.

Other restrictions are:

» Visitors who are not essential to the care of the patient will not be allowed.

» Obstetric patients can have one partner or birth-support person accompany them.

» Patients under age 18 may have one visitor (parent or guardian).

» Patients who are at the end of life may have one to two visitors at a time.

» Patients who have altered mental status, behavioral-health needs or developmental delays (where caregiver provides safety) can have one visitor.

» A “healthy visitor” policy is in place, which prohibits those with a cold, cough, respiratory illness or fever from visiting hospitalized patients or accompanying patients to visits.

The following rules apply to all visitors:

» Patients and visitors will be screened for symptoms of acute respiratory illness upon entering the hospital.

» No visitors will be allowed for patients who are a person under investigation for COVID-19 or have a pending or positive COVID-19 test.

» The hospital strongly encourage no visitors over the age of 70 with chronic conditions such as diabetes or heart disease, as these people are at higher risk of contracting and having consequences from COVID-19.

» Visitors who are allowed must stay in the patient room.

» Waiting rooms are closed.

» Children under the age of 18 will not be permitted to visit hospitalized patients unless there are extraordinary circumstances.

» Anyone with flu-like or respiratory illness symptoms must wear a mask while they are at any Southeast Health facilities.

» Exceptions to these restrictions can only be granted by the patient’s care team in extenuating circumstances.

Patients and visitors can enter the hospital through the main entrances and the emergency room entrance.

People who believes they need testing should call the Department of Public Health hotline at 888-264-2256 for information about where and when to go.

The Department of Public Health also recommends anyone with symptoms like fever, cough and other respiratory issues to contact his or her physician, rather than showing up at a hospital ER or a doctor’s office.