Louisiana's governor said Monday that the state will soon allow hospitals to resume some elective procedures, a boon to facilities struggling to make ends meet amid the coronavirus outbreak.

The Advocate reported that Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) told reporters at a press conference Monday that the state Department of Health would allow some procedures to resume starting April 27. The move is a sign that Louisiana's hospitals are no longer in danger of reaching capacity.

“We believe we need to allow people to resume going to the doctor for things that may not be an emergency,” Edwards said, according to The Advocate.

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The rule change only applies to procedures deemed “time-sensitive,” said State Health Officer Jimmy Guidry. Officials said procedures that can be postponed without putting the patient at risk should continue to be delayed.

States around the country have ordered hospitals to suspend elective procedures, which bring in the majority of income for many hospitals, during the coronavirus crisis to preserve beds and equipment for COVID-19 patients.

One of the state's largest health systems, Ochsner Medical Center, told The Advocate that it expects to lose up to $130 million over two months due to a halt in elective procedures.

Edwards also said Monday that his goal before Louisiana opens nonessential businesses is for the state to be able to process 140,000 coronavirus tests per day, an increase of about 40,000 from the state's current capacity.

The state has already confirmed nearly 24,000 cases of the disease and nearly 1,300 deaths, while state officials are preparing to release plans in the days ahead for some areas of the state economy to reopen in the coming weeks.