PMC closes Regional Flu Center
Pikeville Medical Center has announced the closing of its Regional Flu Center on North Mayo Trail in Pikeville.
Walter E. May, President and Chief Executive Officer at Pikeville Medical Center, said the decline in flu cases prompted hospital officials to close the facility.
“We have seen a sharp decline in the number of flu and flu-related cases at the Regional Flu Center and the hospital as a whole,” May said. “The Regional Flu Center set a national precedent when it opened as the only off-site center solely dedicated to the flu in the nation. Our hospital stands ready and willing to meet the challenges that may arise from an additional outbreak.”
The Regional Flu Center, a joint venture between Pikeville Medical Center and its Family Practice Clinic, opened on November 2, 2009 as flu cases began to escalate across the region. In the first 48 hours of its opening, the center treated more than 200 patients. In less than two weeks, more than 1,000 patients were treated by healthcare professionals at the center.
“The Regional Flu Center was a tremendous success,” May added. “At the time of its opening, there were a lot of concerns about the flu and the spreading of the virus. Providing one location where patients could be seen by a physician and receive all of the necessary tests required to properly diagnose and treat the flu provided a great service to our region.”
Federal officials say that the flu virus is widespread in just four states, a stark contrast to the 48 states that reported widespread outbreaks in April.
For information on H1N1 flu vaccinations, please call your local health department
