Victoria has declared a code brown emergency for all its Melbourne hospitals and six in the regions, as the system buckles under COVID-19 admissions and staff shortages.
Acting Health Minister James Merlino announced the measure will come into effect from midday on Wednesday and last for four to six weeks as hospitalisations are expected to peak.
The order means each hospital will be able to postpone or defer care that is not urgent, while some staff may be reassigned or recalled from leave.
