Merritt’s emergency department facing 25-hour closure

MERRITT B.C. — The emergency department at the Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt will be closed for 25 hours starting Friday (Aug. 7) morning, marking the eighth time the community’s ER has closed this year.

Interior Health (IH) said emergency services will be unavailable from 7:00 a.m. on Friday to 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, and people in need of emergency care are directed to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops, 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.

“Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 811, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.”