COVID-19 outbreak at High Prairie hospital leads to temporary emergency department closure

The emergency department at the hospital in High Prairie, Alta., was closed down by Alberta Health Services on Monday evening due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

The provincial agency said on Twitter Monday evening that the closure of the emergency department at the High Prairie Health Complex was a “temporary measure” and AHS was “working to ensure local residents continue to have access to the care they need during this time.”

The closure went into effect at 7 p.m. on Monday. Officials told Global News Tuesday that the emergency department had “reopened to walk-in patients,” at 8 a.m.

However, patients who need admission will be transferred to nearby alternatives in Grande Prairie, Valleyview and Slave Lake. The closest of those alternatives is Valleyview, which is about a one-hour drive southwest from High Prairie.

“The acute care unit at the site is currently on outbreak as a result of a number of positive COVID-19 individuals associated with the site,” AHS said in a statement Tuesday.

“There are a number of health-care staff and physicians on isolation currently. Staff and physicians from other communities have been brought in to assist at the site.”

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Sheila Jaworski, a resident of High Prairie, said she and others in the town were confused about the lack of communication about the closure.

“We had no forewarning as to what was going on,” Jaworski said. “My concern is we’ve never had this before, so I’m thinking if AHS is concerned it’s due to COVID, then they should let people know.

“This has never happened in the 63 years that I’ve lived in High Prairie.”

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Earlier in the day Tuesday, the mayor of High Prairie told Global News that the town council had first heard of the closure through residents raising concerns.

EMS is on site to help transfer people to the alternative locations, AHS said.

As of Tuesday morning, the High Prairie Health Complex was not listed on the provincial COVID-19 outbreak list.

The town of High Prairie is home to around 2,500 people and is located 370 kilometres northwest of Edmonton.