No ER in Merritt on Easter

Closing the emergency department at the Nicola Valley Hospital isn’t part of Interior Health’s routine, but it happened yet again.

The emergency department’s most recent closure is happening today, April 9, for 12 hours until 7 p.m., according to a media release from the health authority, which put the blame on nursing availability.

READ MORE: Why a skilled surgeon is not allowed to work in Merritt's emergency room

This is the eighth time Interior Health has shut down Merritt’s emergency department in 2023.

Interior Health reminds patients who need emergency services that they can go to the hospital in Kamloops.

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