The emergency department at Rainy River Health Centre is closed.

Riverside Health Care issued notice Thursday night but does not go into specifics, other than to say it is due to unforeseen circumstances.

Riverside says it is not certain when it will reopen.

All emergencies are now being sent to LaVerendrye General Hospital in Fort Frances located over 90 kilometres away.

In a release, Riverside states “Patient safety remains our top priority, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause to our community.”

“During this temporary closure, should you or a loved one require urgent medical attention, please call 911 for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) or report to La Verendrye General Hospital Emergency Department.”

This is the second time in three months that the emergency department has been forced to close.

It shut down briefly in March.

That closure was also blamed on unforeseen circumstances, but no further details were provided.