Hospitals in the Eastern Townships are so overcrowded this month that it's prompted health officials in the region to take an extraordinary measure: postponing all non-urgent surgeries.

The new plan takes effect immediately at the hospitals in Sherbrooke, Granby and Cowansville.

While non-urgent surgeries are postponed, new areas of the hospitals are being converted to take in extra patients. Job duties will also be reorganized to decrease stress on health workers.

Stéphane Tremblay, who is in charge of health care for the Eastern Townships, says the emergency rooms in the region have been operating regularly at double capacity in the last two months.

"It's not the same in Montreal and Quebec City because there are other [health] institutions there. That is not the reality here."

The main causes for the influx of patients this winter have been the bad flu season and icy weather leading to falls and fractures.

The plan to suspend non-urgent operations will be in place until March 11.