Nicola Valley Hospital emergency department closed Easter Sunday

UPDATE, APRIL 9, 7:00p.m. —

A previous version of this article misstated the closure time as 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., when the closure took place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The Herald apologies for any misunderstanding.

Interior Health has announced that Merritt’s emergency room will once again be temporarily closed, with the diversion closing the ER for 12 hours on April 9, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. IHA said in a press release that the closure is due to limited nursing availability.

While inpatient services will continue at the hospital during this time, emergency services will be unavailable, and the health authority says patients can access care at Kamloops’ Royal Inland Hospital. They added that those in need of life-threatening emergency care, such as chest pains, difficulty breathing, and severe bleeding, should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available facility.

Those unsure whether or not a trip to the ER is warranted should call 8-1-1 to speak with HealthLinkBC for non-emergency health information.

Merritt Mayor Mike Goetz recently told the Herald that he continues to work with IHA on a weekly basis to bring more staffing to the Merritt Hospital and avoid further closures.