Emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital to undergo another temporary closure

The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital will undergo another temporary closure.

The closure at the only hospital in Oliver will happen on Saturday, from 6 p.m. until Sunday morning at 8 a.m.

The emergency department is normally open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Interior Health, which announced the news just after 1:30 p.m., said the temporary closure is due to unexpected limited physician availability.

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“During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at South Okanagan General Hospital,” said the health agency, adding that local residents in need of emergency care will have to travel to Penticton Regional Hospital.

“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.”

The hospital’s emergency department has undergone several temporary closures due to lack of staffing during the past year, including one on Sept. 1-2 and 4-5.