Victoria’s ‘Code Brown’ which prevented elective surgery from being performed officially ends with the state’s hospital system slowly returning to normal as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to fall.
The state recorded 7104 new cases overnight and a further two deaths. Hospitalisations have dropped to 465 with 18 requiring ventilation out of 66 in ICU.
Hospitals in Victoria are able to resume all category two elective surgery, dependent on workforce availability, however, that seems to be possible only for regional Victoria. The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and the Royal Eye and Ear Hospital are able to resume all category two procedures, other public hospitals in Melbourne are still unable to run elective surgery.
Private hospitals are able to perform up to 50 per cent of all elective surgery in metropolitan Melbourne and up to 75 per cent of all elective surgery in regional areas.
Several COVID-19 measures are under review now that the peak of the Omicron wave has passed, Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said.
NSW has reported a total of 6,686 new infections and 14 virus-related deaths. Of the 1614 people currently in hospital, 93 are in intensive care.
Queensland has recorded 3750 new COVID-19 cases and six more COVID-related fatalities as 514 people are being treated in hospitals. Forty-one patients are in intensive care with 20 on ventilators.
The ACT has recorded 375 new cases of COVID-19 and zero deaths while Tasmania reported 408 new cases over the past 24 hours, according to Health. Twelve people with COVID-19 are being treated in hospital and one patient is in ICU.
