Milk River emergency department shuttered through Thursday

Milk River only has a population of just over 800 but serves a 1,300 square kilometre area and is the closest emergency department for many towns near the U.S. border.

Alberta Health Services says the Milk River emergency department has temporarily closed due to a lack of physician coverage.

The emergency department closed Monday morning and won't reopen until 8 a.m. Thursday.

Nursing staff remain on site during the temporary closure to provide care for long-term care residents.

Patients are asked to call 911 if they have a medical emergency, with EMS calls now being rerouted to the Raymond Health Centre or to the Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge.