With regional flu cases on the rise, Salem Regional Medical Center is asking the public not to visit the hospital if they’re sick, in an effort to help protect patients from influenza and other highly contagious illnesses. In a press release issued by Hoffmeister, Lyn Pethtel, a registered nurse who serves as the medical center’s Director of Quality Improvement and Infection Control, said “We have seen an increase in the rate of influenza and influenza-like illnesses based on the number of patients seeking care at doctors’ offices and the increased number of related hospitalizations.