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BENDIGO Health will perform all operations already booked, after the government announced a pause on non-urgent regional elective surgery.
The pause is designed to free up hospitals' capacity to fight COVID-19 if needed.
A Bendigo Health spokesperson said surgery already booked would be completed, but no new non-urgent surgery would be booked.
The government announced the pause on all category three and non-urgent category two surgeries on Wednesday.
A Bendigo Health spokesperson said it would pause these surgeries in line with the government announcement.
12.45pm
A PAUSE on regional non-urgent surgeries is designed to free up capacity in hospitals, in the event of further COVID-19 outbreaks.
It comes after a man in his 30s was among 15 people to die from COVID-19.
Victoria reported 725 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday.
Health minister Jenny Mikakos said the stop on non-urgent surgery in regional areas was designed to create greater capacity in health services.
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Ms Mikakos said capacity would allow those facilities to support aged care facilities, and provide additional support if COVID-19 numbers grow.
Regional hospitals will pause all category three and non-urgent category two surgeries from 11.59pm Wednesday.
"We do not take any decision to pause elective surgery lightly," Ms Mikakso said.
"We acknowledge this is very inconvenient for the patients and their families who will be impacted by this."
Earlier
A MAN in his 30s has died from COVID-19, among 15 more Victorians to lose their life from the virus.
He is the youngest Australian yet to have died from the coronavirus.
Testing has revealed 725 more COVID-19 cases in Victoria on Tuesday, the highest number ever recorded.
Non-urgent surgeries in regional Victoria will be paused, as regional Victoria returns to stage three restrictions.
Regional hospitals will pause all category three and non-urgent category two surgeries from 11.59pm Wednesday.
Category one and urgent category two surgeries will continue to take place. IVF activity will also be exempt from the restrictions.
Wednesday's figures mark the highest number of new cases in a day the state has seen. Previously the most COVID-19 cases reported in Victoria was 723, on July 30.
Twelve of Victoria's deaths on Wednesday were linked to aged care. They included men and women in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.
Victoria recorded 439 more COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, and 11 deaths.
Bendigo's case numbers dropped on Tuesday, as one person recovered from COVID-19. It meant there were 25 active cases in Greater Bendigo on Tuesday, compared to 26 the previous day.
Central Victoria's overall case numbers increased, as two new COVID-19 diagnoses were reported in the Macedon Ranges.
Premier Daniel Andrews also announced heavy fines of $4957 for those breaking self-isolation requirements.
Repeat offenders face fines of up to $20,000 in the Magistrates' Court.
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