West End Urgent Care Centre closed as Hamilton sees influx of COVID-19 cases

West End Urgent Care Centre at 690 Main Street West will be temporarily closed starting this week to allow its staff to assist hospitals that are overloaded with COVID-19 patients.

Hamilton Health Sciences says it’s a necessary measure to create more critical care capacity.

“Urgent care clinic staff and physicians are needed to support this effort across our hospitals,” Hamilton Health Sciences said.

The centre’s COVID Assessment and Testing Centre will remain open.

Mayor Fred Eisenberger says the city’s healthcare system is struggling as cases in Hamilton continue to rise, hitting a new daily high of 211 cases on April 17.

“To any who believe the third wave of COVID-19 is overblown: our healthcare system is struggling to meet needs, Ontarians have seen their surgeries cancelled and we are seeing closures like this,” said Eisenberger, who urged residents to continue staying home.

“Variants have made this a new, more perilous disease.”

The mayor also pointed to hospital surge capacity being built adjacent to Hamilton Health Science’s General Hospital.

Hospital surge capacity is being feverishly built at the corner of Barton & Ferguson, adjacent to @HamHealthSci's General Hospital.#HamOnt recently hit an all-time high daily case count & deadly variants are here.

Please stay home and be vigilant about masking & washing hands! pic.twitter.com/kFJfhekKNV

— Fred Eisenberger (@HamiltonsMayor) April 18, 2021

West End Urgent Care Centre will be temporarily closed starting Monday, April 19, and it’s unknown when the facility will reopen.

Those who require urgent care are being redirected to Juravinski Hospital, Hamilton General Hospital, West Lincoln Memorial Hospital, and St. Joseph’s Healthcare (Charlton Campus and King Campus).