Interior Health says the emergency department at the Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital in Clearwater will be closed until 7 p.m. tonight, due to a lack of nurses.

It says people in need to emergency care over the next seven hours should head to Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops.

“During this time, all other inpatient services will continue as normal at Dr. Helmcken Memorial Hospital,” Interior Health said, in a statement.

“People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding)s should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.”

The emergency department in Clearwater is usually open 24/7.