The Listowel Wingham Hospitals Alliance (LWHA) has announced a temporary closure.
The Wingham and District Hospital will shut the emergency room doors at 5 p.m. on Sunday and reopen again on Monday at 7 a.m.
In a second statement Sunday, the hospital alliance announced that the closure would extend another night. The Wingham and District Hospital Emergency Department will also close Monday, August 15 at 5 p.m. and reopen at 7 a.m. on Tuesday.
The LWHA noted that it wasn't a step they wanted to take, but was necessary due to Ontario's ongoing healthcare staff shortage. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) will remain available to the community and will be re-routed to surrounding hospitals.
The closest hospitals to Wingham are:
• Listowel – 35 km • Clinton – 36 km • Walkerton - 39 km • Palmerston – 43 km • Goderich – 47 km • Seaforth – 49 km • Kincardine – 55 km
For non-urgent care, people are urged to call Health Connect Ontario at 811.