The emergency department at the Almonte General Hospital will close at 7 p.m. Monday and reopen Tuesday morning at 7.

Patients will not be accepted after 4:30 p.m. to ensure the department closes at 7, according to a news release from the hospital.

A shortage of nurses due to illness is the reason for the closure, the release said, and the rest of the hospital is functioning as normal.

"Patient and staff safety is our main priority," said president and CEO Mary Wilson Trider in the release.

"Our dedicated teams at both Almonte General Hospital and Carleton Place & District Memorial Hospital continue to work to ensure we have the necessary staff to support our community with their health care needs."

The Carleton Place & District Hospital similarly closed Saturday and reopened Sunday, as did the Glengarry Memorial Hospital.