Interior Health says the emergency department at the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater will be closed for the next five nights, starting today.

The closures due to limited staff availability will begin at 6 p.m. on August 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 with the emergency department opening at 7 a.m. the following day.

“Interior Health regrets this temporary change to normal operations,” a statement said, noting the facility is expected to return to 24-hour service at 7 a.m. next Monday, Aug. 8.

People are being told to call 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency, or call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1 if they are not sure if they need to seek emergency care.

They’re also being directed to either Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops or the 100 Mile House District General Hospital.

“[I have] been assured that BCEHS will have good ambulance coverage,” Mayor Merlin Blackwell said in a tweet Wednesday. “Not at all what I wanted to hear, but not unexpected.”

There have been well over two dozen ER closures in Clearwater this year, but Interior Health previously told NL News that relief could be coming by mid-September.

Awaiting press release stating Clearwater Emergency Department will be closed overnights from Wednesday August 3rd til 7am in the morning of Monday August 8th. Been assured that BCEHS will have good ambulance coverage. Not at all what I wanted to hear, but not unexpected.

— Merlin Blackwell, Mayor (@BlackwellMerlin) August 3, 2022