Manitoba hospital postpones surgeries after ants invade for third time

Repeated ant incursions at Carman Memorial Hospital forced the postponement of 16 elective surgeries, including hernia repairs and gallbladder removals, after insects were spotted in hallways, under doorways and near the operating room. The disruption at the Carman, Manitoba, hospital marked the third time since 2024 that ants had pushed back procedures at the small facility serving a town of roughly 3,000 people about 75 kilometres southwest of Winnipeg.

Southern Health–Santé Sud, which oversees the hospital, said the surgeries were temporarily suspended because any factor affecting operating-room safety requires a shutdown. The authority said emergency care continued as usual, while urgent surgical patients would be sent to the nearest hospital. It said the ants were believed to be pavement ants and that the issue was being addressed immediately, although it was not yet known how long procedures would remain on hold.

The first infestation was detected in August 2024 and died off within a couple of weeks. The ants returned the following summer, then reappeared again in May 2026, prompting more extensive measures from the health authority. Southern Health said there was no risk to staff or patient safety and no damage to the building, but it was taking precautions to prevent the problem from worsening and to avoid more cancellations.

Exterminators have surveyed the hospital, cleaned drains, opened walls, sealed cracks and used baiting methods to trace where the ants were coming from. The repeated shutdowns have put a spotlight on the vulnerability of smaller community hospitals, where even a localized maintenance problem can ripple quickly into delayed surgeries and transferred patients. For Carman Memorial Hospital, the challenge is no longer simply removing the insects. It is proving that the building can stay clear enough to keep an operating room open.

The Manitoba Nurses Union said members had described the ant issue as longstanding and said it did not make for a pleasant place to work. Manitoba Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the province was working as fast as it could and that every effort was being made to minimize disruptions and restore normal services as soon as possible.