All non-essential operations in England will be postponed from 15 April to free up 30,000 for coronavirus patients, NHS England said.
The emergency policy will is expected to be in place for at least three months.
A further 14 people in England have died with the virus, as well as one each from Scotland and Wales, taking the UK death toll to 71.
NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said postponing routine surgery would help to expand critical care capacity to the maximum – to prepare for “the likely influx of more coronavirus patients”.
Cancer operations will continue to go ahead, Sir Simon added.
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Sir Simon said the health system in England has about 7,000 ventilators and there are plans to increase this to 12,000.
