The Peter Lougheed Centre in Calgary temporarily closed its surge response unit (SRU) over the weekend due to cold weather.
The SRU treats patients of mid-level acuity who go to the emergency department for care, according to Alberta Health Services. The patients usually have a wide variety of symptoms and concerns that require assessment and treatment.
In an emailed statement sent on Saturday evening, a spokesperson for AHS said the SRU was initially closed to new patients on Thursday morning due to extremely cold temperatures.
Patients were relocated and emergency care was diverted from the SRU to “ensure the comfort and safety of our patients and staff,” the statement read.
Emergency care units have been set up in nearby treatment centres in the hospital, including a former neonatal intensive care unit that is awaiting renovations.
AHS said the SRU sees approximately 130 patients a day.
Re-evaluation of the re-opening of the SRU will be made on Monday, the statement said.
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