St. Luke's Hospital and Health Network is easing visitor restrictions established last month in response to a community-wide surge in influenza-like (flu-like) illness.

As of Nov. 23, the hospital network will allow visitors of any age to visit most of the units at St. Luke's Hospital - Allentown and Bethlehem Campuses and all of the units at St. Luke's Quakertown Hospital and St. Luke's Miners Memorial Hospital as long as the visitors are symptom-free of flu-like illnesses. However, visitors under 18, and any visitor exhibiting symptoms of flu-like illnesses, are restricted from the obstetrics, pediatric and neonatal intensive care units (NICU) at St. Luke's locations in Allentown and Bethlehem.The current visiting restrictions continue as an effort to limit the spread of flu-like illness. The outbreak of H1N1 flu has been declared a national emergency.