TORONTO - A hospital east of Toronto is temporarily closing its intensive care unit as it struggles with a staffing shortage.

Lakeridge Health says it's temporarily closing the critical care unit at its Bowmanville Hospital.

The hospital organization, which runs five hospitals in the Durham Region, says staff from its Bowmanville facility will be consolidated at critical care sites at its Ajax Pickering and Oshawa hospitals.

It says critical care will return to Bowmanville Hospital as soon as staffing stabilizes at the facility.

The Bowmanville hospital is the latest to announce bed closures and reduced hours ahead of the long weekend.

The Seaforth Community Hospital in Ontario's Huron County also announced it will close its emergency room overnight because it's running short-staffed.

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