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Interior Health (IH) remains committed to reopening the Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) pediatric in-patient unit as soon as possible. We are pleased to announce four new physicians have signed offers to join the department. However, at this time, IH does not have the required number of pediatricians available to safely re-open the 10-bed inpatient unit. We continue to work towards resuming services and will provide timely updates to the community. Several key actions have been taken by the board of directors, senior executive team and KGH medical leadership to reopen the department as soon as possible. These actions include: Continued collaboration with the medical staff association and Doctors of BC through an established joint action committee to develop a comprehensive plan to address the staffing challenges and stabilize services over the long term. Appointing a neutral, third-party facilitator as soon as possible to make recommendations to the IH board of directors on further actions to support strengthening pediatric services at KGH. Susan Brown is concluding her tenure as president & chief executive officer (CEO) and will now focus on supporting the organization in its transition in advance of her pending retirement, as announced last spring. Sylvia Weir, the current chief financial officer (CFO) and vice president of corporate services has been appointed interim president & CEO. “On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to Susan Brown for her unwavering commitment and service to Interior Health and the health and well-being of the communities we serve during the particularly challenging times of COVID-19 and a global health care worker shortage,” said Dr. Robert Halpenny, Interior Health board chair. “The board thanks Susan for her continued support to Interior Health and availability to advance the leadership transition plan as her successor is identified.” Sylvia Weir has 25 years’ experience in health care, bringing experience both from the United Kingdom and Canada. As CFO and vice president, Sylvia led IH’s business support and accounting functions, manages contracted services and is responsible for capital planning and projects. Sylvia is known as a values-based leader and is committed to supporting the delivery of front-line clinical services and building strong relationships and community partnerships. Efforts will continue to reopen KGH’s in-patient pediatric unit as soon as possible and we are committed to keeping the community updated as progress continue. KGH remains equipped to support any children requiring emergency care although pediatric in-patients will not be admitted at this time. In the meantime, we extend gratitude to the pediatricians providing on-call coverage to the emergency department and we thank everyone working at the emergency department for their efforts during this challenging time.

Interior Health (IH) has confirmed additional measles cases in the Interior. Locations with identified cases include Kamloops, Kelowna, Salmon Arm and the Nelson area. IH is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the cases as part of normal contact tracing. For a full list of exposure locations across B.C., please visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website. This will be updated with any possible exposures for flights and airports, as well as potential exposures at BC Ferries. Measles general information: Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread. Most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or previous infection. Individuals exposed to the measles virus should monitor for symptoms that may develop up to three weeks after being exposed. These include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes; followed a few days later by a rash that usually starts on the face and spreads rapidly down to the rest of the body. If you develop symptoms of measles, please call 8-1-1 for an initial assessment. If you need immediate medical attention, please wear a mask when visiting a health-care facility or clinic or ask for a mask when you arrive to help prevent spreading measles to others. People who are at risk of getting measles are: Those who have never had measles disease, and Those who have not had two doses of a measles vaccine on or after 12 months of age Protect yourself and your family: The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against measles is to ensure vaccinations are up to date. To check your vaccination status please visit interiorhealth.ca/measles. The risk of getting measles for individuals who have received two doses of the measles vaccine is extremely low. Two doses of measles vaccine provide almost 100 per cent protection and last a lifetime.

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 26 to 8 a.m. Friday, June 27, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time. All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Keremeos and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at the South Similkameen Health Centre.    Emergency services will be unavailable from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital in Penticton or Princeton General Hospital in Princeton during this time.   All other inpatient services will continue at the South Similkameen Health Centre.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.     Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Slocan Community Health Centre.  Emergency services will be unavailable effective immediately to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. Patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp during this time. All other inpatient services will continue at Slocan Community Health Centre. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 9-1-1 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week. 

Interior Health has confirmed a single measles case in Kamloops. Interior Health is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to the case as part of normal contact tracing. The risk to the broader public is considered low. However, if you were at the following locations during the time listed below, you may have been exposed to measles: Denny’s Restaurant 570 Columbia St, Kamloops, BC Exposure Date & Time: June 16, 2025 between 12:00 and 2:45 p.m. Aberdeen Mall 1320 Trans-Canada Hwy, Kamloops, BC Exposure Date & Time: June 16, 2025 between 1:00 and 4:00 p.m. Earls Restaurant 1210 Summit Dr, Kamloops, BC Exposure Date & Time: June 16, 2025 between 6:30 and 11:30 p.m. Shoppers Drug Mart 1210 Summit Dr, Kamloops, BC Exposure Date & Time: June 16, 2025 between 9:30 p.m. and 11:35 p.m. Castles and Cottages 347 Victoria St, Kamloops, BC Exposure Date & Time: June 18, 2025 between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. This is the first confirmed measles case in the Interior in 2025. However, there are other cases around the province which may impact people in this region as they travel during the summer. For a full list of exposure locations across BC, please visit the BC Centre for Disease Control website. This will be updated with any possible exposures for flights and airports, as well as potential exposures at BC Ferries. Measles is a highly infectious disease transmitted by airborne spread. Most people in Canada will be immune to measles due to prior immunization or previous infection. Individuals exposed to the measles virus should monitor for symptoms that may develop up to three weeks after being exposed. These include fever, dry cough, runny nose and red eyes; followed a few days later by a rash that usually starts on the face and spreads rapidly down to the rest of the body. If you develop symptoms of measles, please inform your health care provider or hospital before you visit them so they can take precautions to prevent spreading measles to others. People who are at risk of getting measles are: Those who have never had measles disease, and Those who have not had two doses of a measles vaccine on or after 12 months of age. For people who are not fully protected against measles and may have been exposed, we recommend: If you were born in 1970 or later and have not had two doses of measles vaccine, you should get a booster dose of measles vaccine. It is most effective if received within three days of being exposed but still can be received after that. Certain people should not get the measles vaccine. These include babies less than six months of age, pregnant people, and people with certain immune conditions. If you, or your child, are in one of these groups, please call your local Public Health team as soon as possible and no later than six days after being exposed. You may be advised that you, or your child, receive a medication that can prevent measles disease. This is also provided free of charge. If you may have been exposed and have not been vaccinated against measles or are unsure, are immunocompromised, have an exposed child under one year of age, or are pregnant, please call 1-855-549-6364 and leave a message. The IH communicable disease team who will review your vaccine history, determine your immunity to measles, and provide recommendations. Protect yourself and your family The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against measles is to ensure vaccinations are up to date. To check your vaccination status please visit interiorhealth.ca/measles. The measles vaccine is free in B.C. You can get the vaccine at your local community health centre. To book an appointment in Kamloops please call public health at 250-851-7300. Some family physicians may also provide immunizations. Community Pharmacists in B.C. are able to immunize children as young as four years of age. However, it is important to call the pharmacy to book an appointment as some pharmacies do not provide immunizations for young children. Two doses of measles vaccine are almost 100 per cent effective in preventing this serious illness and last a lifetime. Immunizations are the best defence against measles and other infectious diseases. For additional information on measles, go to Measles | HealthLink BC.

Keremeos and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at the South Similkameen Health Centre.   Emergency services will be unavailable from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, June 23, 2025. Patients can access care at Penticton Regional Hospital in Penticton or Princeton General Hospital in Princeton.   All other inpatient services will continue at the South Similkameen Health Centre.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.     Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  

New Denver and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at the Slocan Community Health Centre.   Emergency services will be unavailable immediately until 1 p.m. today, Sunday, June 22, 2025. Patients can access care at Arrow Lakes Hospital in Nakusp.   All other inpatient services will continue at the Slocan Community Health Centre.   People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.     Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.  

Lillooet and area residents are advised of temporary changes to emergency department hours at Lillooet Hospital and Health Centre. Emergency services will be unavailable from 7 a.m. on Friday, June 20 to 8 a.m. Saturday, June 21, 2025. Patients can access care at Royal Inland Hospital in Kamloops during this time. All other inpatient services will continue at Lillooet Hospital. People in the community who need life-threatening emergency care (i.e., chest pains, difficulty breathing, severe bleeding) should always call 911 for transport to the nearest available and appropriate facility.  Anyone unsure whether an emergency room visit is warranted can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1, or visit www.HealthLinkBC.ca for non-emergency health information from nurses, dietitians and pharmacists 24 hours a day, seven days per week.