No new flu cases at Salt Lake nursing home

A Salt Lake nursing home that suffered a severe flu outbreak has had no new cases since Feb. 15, so the doors are open once again to visitors and new residents, according to the Salt Lake Valley Health Department. But the facility will continue infection precautions until Feb. 28, which will mark a full two weeks without further infection.

Four residents died of influenza, and results are pending on another. A sixth death was attributed to a chronic condition.

The health department never identified the facility, but it's presumed to be Woodland Park Rehabilitation, whose owner, Avalon Health Care Inc., issued a statement Wednesday about the measures it has taken to contain a serious major flu outbreak.

In all, 35 residents of 150 were ill, as were 22 of 160 staff members.

Severe flu infections are not unusual among a frail elderly population at the height of the flu season. And this year the season has been complicated by the fact that the vaccine was not a good match to most of the flu strains that are circulating, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.