There will be another closure of the emergency department at the Nicola Valley Hospital in Merritt tonight, October 17.

Interior Heath says the Merritt ER will be closed from 7 p.m. until 8 a.m. tomorrow morning due to a lack of nurses.

This is the eighteenth closure this year, and fourth this month.

Fraser-Nicola MLA Jackie Tegart told Radio NL last week that there were “no innovative ideas” from the Province or Interior Health to address the series of closures in Merritt.

“When you look at the amount of traffic that goes through the community of Merritt, you look at the significance accidents, highway accidents that we’ve seen,” Tegart said.

“You look at the stress put on first responders. The community has been protesting. We have met with the Minister. We have sent communication to the Minster and the Premier, and still, we still these happening over and over again.”

As has been the case in the past, people in need of emergency services are being told to head to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

The emergency department in Merritt is normally open 24/7.

– With files from Victor Kaisar