People are being urged to stay away from A&E departments across Greater Manchester unless their condition is urgent or life-threatening.
The warning from the local NHS comes after reports of hospitals being in lockdown as a precaution after the car and stabbing attack at a synagogue in the city’s Crumpsall area earlier.
A spokesman for NHS Greater Manchester said the move would help “prioritise care for those most in need” and allow emergency services to respond to the major incident.
Patients with hospital appointments have been told to attend as normal unless they are contacted and told otherwise.
In a statement, the Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership, which represents NHS and care organisations in the area, said: “We are actively supporting the multi-agency response led by Greater Manchester.
“Anyone who is unsure about which services they can use has been urged to contact the NHS 111 online or over the phone for advice.”
