Three employees at the Halifax Infirmary hospital were injured by a patient Wednesday, including two who were stabbed, according to sources.
Halifax Regional Police were called to the hospital, the region’s largest, around 1 p.m. for a weapons complaint. Police took the patient into custody.
An email to staff from Nova Scotia Health CEO Karen Oldfield said the incident “has left many shaken.” She said three people were injured by a patient in the emergency department.
Health Minister Michelle Thompson said in a statement there was a serious incident at the hospital and the “threat has been contained.”
“I want to commend the staff at the Halifax Infirmary [emergency department] for their incredibly quick response,” she told reporters in an online news conference.
“They activated help, they cared for their colleagues. I can’t imagine the situation that they found themselves in today and I want to commend them for their response.”
She said the patient had a weapon, but she couldn’t give details on what it was.
For several hours following the attack, the emergency department was only accepting people with life-threatening emergencies.
Normal operations have now resumed, Nova Scotia Health said around 6 p.m.
