EDMONTON -- Alberta Health Services is making temporary service changes at some rural hospitals in preparation for a surge in COVID-19 patients.
The emergency departments at the Hardisty Health Centre and the Consort Hospital and Care Centre are now closed.
Patients in need of emergency care in Hardisty, northeast of Red Deer, are being asked to go to Wainwright, Viking, Daysland or Coronation, with the closest emergency department 60 kilometres away.
People in Consort, east of Red Deer, will be redirected to Coronation, 50 kilometres away, or Provost, 81 kilometres away.
Diagnostic imaging and laboratory services at both hospitals will continue and AHS says the temporary closures will not result in any job losses at this time.
The temporary closure of the Devon General Hospital emergency department was also announced this week. That closure begins on April 20.
"Both of these service changes are temporary measures as part of AHS’ evolving response to the COVID-19 pandemic," AHS said in a written release. "Such changes are not made lightly, and are only done when absolutely necessary to protect vulnerable patients, staff and physicians."
As of April 16, Alberta had 2,158 cases of COVID-19 and 50 deaths.
According to AHS, all services will resume once the pandemic ends.
