Patient dies following 'tragic event' in ER at Edmundston, N.B. hospital

New Brunswick’s Vitalité Health Network says a patient has died following a “tragic event” in the emergency department at a hospital in Edmundston, N.B.

According to a news release, the person was admitted to the ER at the Edmundston Regional Hospital, where they died Sunday under “unforeseeable and exceptional circumstances.”

No details about the person or the incident that led to their death have been released.

“Patient and staff safety is the Network’s ultimate priority,” said Dr. France Desrosiers, the president and CEO of the Vitalité Health Network, in the news release.

“For confidentiality purposes and due to the delicate nature of the incident, no further details can be provided to the public at this time.”

Vitalité says no employees or medical staff were injured.

The health network also says the incident is under investigation.

“Rest assured that a comprehensive internal root cause assessment of the incident is underway,” said Desrosiers. “The Network also collaborates with police authorities and the coroner in their respective investigations.”

The Edmundston Police Force confirmed to CTV Atlantic it is aware of the incident and it has opened an investigation.

Speaking to reporters Monday morning, New Brunswick Health Minister Bruce Fitch wouldn’t say if the person’s death was considered criminal in nature.

He also said he couldn’t confirm if the emergency department was fully staffed at the time.

“I don’t have that level of detail. There’s an investigation going on though and that’s what needs to be concluded, so we can go from there,” said Fitch.

He said his sympathies are with the family of the individual and the staff who were involved.

Edmundston Mayor Eric Marquis says he doesn’t have any information on what happened, but he is concerned about ongoing staffing shortages at the hospital.

Pediatric and some obstetric services, including labour and delivery, won't be offered at the hospital for the next two weeks.

Expectant mothers are being directed to go to Quebec - one to three hours away, depending on where they live.

“We're going to have to look at the medium to long-term on how we can avoid these cuts to our services and to make sure the people from northern New Brunswick get the access they need to specialized services,” says Marquis. 

SECOND PATIENT TO DIE IN A NEW BRUNSWICK ER

This is the second time this month that a patient has died in the emergency room of a New Brunswick hospital.

The Horizon Health Network confirmed that a patient died while waiting for care at Fredericton's Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital emergency department on July 12.

Calling the death “simply unacceptable,” Premier Blaine Higgs replaced the province’s health minister and the CEO of the Horizon Health Network following the incident.

Higgs also revoked the elected boards of both the Horizon and Vitalité health authorities, replacing them with appointed trustees.

That incident is also under investigation. No further details have been released.