Merritt’s ER to face 25-hour weekend closure

MERRITT, B.C. — The emergency department in Merritt’s Nicola Valley Hospital will be closed for 25 hours starting Sunday morning (July 26), marking the sixth such closure this year.

Interior Health said the emergency department will be 7 a.m. on Sunday to 8 a.m. on Monday (July 27), but all other inpatient services will be available in the meantime.

Patients can access emergency care at the Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during the closure, which is almost an hour-long drive away.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility,” said Interior Health.