South Okanagan ER to begin overnight closure this afternoon

Residents in and around Oliver will be without an emergency department later this afternoon and overnight.

The ER at South Okanagan General Hospital is slated to close its doors and 1 pm and is not scheduled to reopen until 7 am Tuesday.

During the closure, patients needing to access emergency care will be directed to Penticton Regional Hospital.

While the ER in Oliver is closed, all other inpatient services will continue as normal.

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

“Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.”