Riverview Medical Center’s emergency room entrance as seen in May, 2020. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

See Update below.

By JOHN T. WARD

A malfunctioning air conditioning system prompted the temporary closure of the emergency room at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank Wednesday.

Patients were being diverted to non-impacted areas of the hospitals, as well as to other Hackensack Meridian Health hospitals nearby, company spokesman Tony Perry said.

HMH also owns Bayshore Medical Center in Hazlet and Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

The number of patients impacted was not immediately available.

“Our teams are working to make the necessary repairs to bring these systems online as soon as possible,” Perry said.

Outdoor temperatures were about 93 degrees at noon with a heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.

Update, 7 p.m.: Air conditioning has been restored in the ER and ICU with repairs to one of two affected AC units, but patient diversion continues along with work on the other, Perry said. Full restoration of normal operations is expected by Thursday afternoon, he said.

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