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. 

A visitor to B.C. has been confirmed to have measles and traveled within Interior Health while infectious. There are no measles cases in Interior Health at this time. Interior Health is following up directly with individuals who are known to have been exposed to complete contact tracing. The risk to the broader public is considered low. If you were at the following location during the time listed below, you may have been exposed to measles: McDonalds Restaurant 2110 Middletown Place Sparwood, B.C. Exposure Date: June 8, 2025 Exposure Time: 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. If you have been exposed at the above location 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 to speak with the communicable disease team who will review your vaccine history, determine your immunity to measles, and provide recommendations. Anyone who is concerned about exposure to measles should watch for symptoms of measles. Symptoms include: fever, cough, runny nose, and red and inflamed eyes. These are followed by a rash, which starts first on the face and neck, spreads to the chest, arms and legs, and lasts for at least three days. Please call ahead to your doctor’s office or the hospital before you visit if you think you may have been exposed to measles and have developed symptoms. This will allow the office or hospital to make a plan to care for you safely and prevent other people from potential exposure during your visit. If you think you or a loved one may have been exposed to measles but you have no symptoms, you can call 8-1-1 or your local public health centre to speak to a nurse.  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. You can get the vaccine for free at your local community health centre. Your pharmacist (for adults and kids over five) may also have the vaccine available. Measles is a serious illness that is caused by a virus. It is highly contagious and spreads easily through the air. Complications from measles can include pneumonia, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), convulsions (seizures), deafness, brain damage, and death. For more information on measles, go to Measles | HealthLink B.C.

People living in and around Kamloops now have more access to team-based primary care through the new Supporting Team Excellence with Patients Society (STEPS) North Shore Community Health Centre (CHC) at 202B-780 Windsor Ave. “The STEPS North Shore Community Health Centre brings us closer to our goal of providing everyone in B.C. the high-quality health care they need, when and where they need it,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “This centre is expected to facilitate more than 30,000 patient visits each year in a culturally safe, trauma-informed environment.” Once fully operational, STEPS North Shore CHC will provide comprehensive person-centred primary care that will connect 4,300 people in the area without a family doctor or nurse practitioner with a primary-care provider. “STEPS is focused on strengthening long-term relationships between patients and health-care providers,” said Colin O’Leary, president, STEPS. “These relationships have been shown to improve health outcomes, help avoid preventable illness and reduce the cost of health care. The new North Shore Community Health Centre will expand on the network of care we have built in the Thompson region and enhance primary-care services for underserved populations in our community.” Since May 15, 2025, when the CHC opened, STEPS has hired 0.2 full-time equivalent (FTE) family physician, one FTE registered nurse, one FTE mental-health therapist, 0.8 FTE community-health worker and one FTE executive director. It is currently interviewing for additional clinical positions. Once fully operational, the CHC will have a clinical staffing complement of approximately 13.5 FTE health-care workers, including two FTE family physicians, three FTE nurse practitioners, 2.3 FTE registered nurses, 1.15 FTE licensed practical nurse, 2.8 FTE social workers and community-health workers, and one FTE physiotherapist, and an executive director and support staff.  “By working closely with community partners, such as STEPS, we are expanding access to primary care, which includes health promotion and wellness services,” said Susan Brown, president and CEO of Interior Health. “This means more people will be supported in staying healthy through early intervention, personalized care plans and a broad team of health professionals focused on long-term health and well-being.” The STEPS North Shore CHC plans to be open six days a week, including some morning and/or evening hours. “As we continue to implement a primary-care network across the region, this new centre represents a key step in aligning community-based services with our shared vision for integrated, team-based care,” said Dr. Meghan Macdonald, president of the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice. The Province has committed more than $2.6 million in annual operating funding with more than $2 million in additional, one-time start-up funds, which includes more than $1.3 million for tenant improvements for the North Shore CHC. The health centre will be operated by STEPS, a non-profit society that has been providing interdisciplinary, team-based primary health care in the Thompson Region since 2017. It is a community driven initiative made possible through the collaboration of STEPS, Interior Health, the Thompson Region Division of Family Practice and the Ministry of Health. The STEPS North Shore CHC will be part of the Thompson Region Primary Care Network (PCN), which brings together health-care providers in Kamloops and the Lower Thompson region to improve access and attachment to team-based, comprehensive and culturally safe primary care. The investment in the STEPS North Shore CHC aligns with the Province’s primary-care strategy to improve access to team-based, patient-focused care though PCNs, which are geographically based, locally planned and co-ordinated systems of primary care, as well as single-site models of care, such as First Nations Primary Care Initiatives and Urgent and Primary Care Centres. Quick Facts: Including the new STEPS North Shore CHC in Kamloops, there are 13 publicly funded CHCs in B.C. that are delivering services, including one publicly funded CHC operating in the Interior Health region. Publicly funded CHCs are required to be integrated into primary-care networks. Learn More: To learn more about the Province’s Primary Care Strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2018PREM0034-001010 To learn about the Province’s Health Human Resources Strategy, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2022HLTH0059-001464 To sign up to be matched with a family doctor or nurse practitioner on the Health Connect Registry, visit: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-connect-registry Read the original release on BC Gov News