Cape Fear Valley hospitals changing visitation rules as COVID cases rise

BLADEN COUNTY (WWAY) — Due to an increase in COVID cases, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center is updating its visitation policy with one change in the Children’s Emergency Department.

As of Friday, only one parent or guardian will be allowed in the waiting room with pediatric patients in the Emergency Department. The previous limit was two parents/guardians. Once a child is placed in a room, they can have two parents/guardians with them.

“We have seen a slight uptick in COVID cases, and this is to help ease crowding issues in our Children’s Emergency Department waiting room,” Vice President of Emergency Management and Engineering Brian Pearce said in a press release.

The number of COVID cases in the Children’s Emergency Department had stayed between zero to two per day for more than a month, until the end of August. Between Aug. 27 and Sept. 2, there were 12 cases seen in the Children’s Emergency Department. The week of Sept. 3-9, that number climbed to 51, and there were 45 in the week of Sept. 10-16. System wide, there have been about 260 positive COVID tests for adults and pediatrics each week since Sept. 3. There are currently 25 inpatient COVID patients in the health system.

Cape Fear Valley Health’s other current visitation policies remain unchanged.