Merritt hospital's emergency room will reopen next week, IH says

Photo: Castanet Staff

The Coldwater River spilled its banks in Merritt on Nov. 14 and flooded low-lying parts of the city. Work to clean up and repair the damage is now underway.

Emergency room services will resume next week at Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt, Interior Health announced Wednesday.

The hospital has been closed since a storm on Nov. 14 caused the Coldwater River to spill its banks. The entire City of Merritt was placed on evacuation order the following morning, and residents only began to return home this week.

According to IH, the hospital’s emergency department will be open between noon and 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Beginning Tuesday, IH said, the department will be open daily between 7:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.

“IH is reviewing the situation and weather impacts daily and will advise the public of any changes to the planned gradual resumption of emergency department services,” IH said in a bulletin.

IH also said it hopes to have COVID-19 testing capabilities restored in Merritt as of Friday.