Hospital ER in B.C.’s Interior facing temporary closures

The emergency department at 100 Mile District General Hospital is facing two temporary closures, according to Interior Health. (Interior Health)

A hospital in B.C.’s Interior is facing emergency department closures this weekend.

100 Mile District General Hospital will close its ER on Saturday at 11 p.m. and remain closed until Sunday at 8 p.m., according to Interior Health.

Health-care officials said the facility will close again on Monday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and added that inpatient services will continue through emergency department closures.

In the meantime, Interior Health says those looking for urgent care can find it at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital in Williams Lake, which is more than an hour’s drive from the 100 Mile District General Hospital.

Those in the area who need life-threatening emergency care have been reminded by health-care officials to call 911 regardless.

Interior Health didn’t cite a reason for the closure but said it recognizes the impact an emergency department closure can have on a community.

“Our teams remain committed to working to cover these shifts right up to the day of each potential service interruption. If coverage is secured and an interruption is avoided, we will provide an update to the community,” health-care officials said in a statement.

100 Mile District General Hospital isn’t the only B.C. hospital to see ER closures as of late, with Mission Memorial Hospital closing its ER overnight several times since March due to ongoing challenges with physician staffing, according to Fraser Health.