As Victoria joins NSW in unveiling its path to reopening, a leading emergency specialist Dr Stephen Parnis has described the thousands of additional deaths expected under the plan as “terrifying”.

Dr Parnis says the next months are “uncharted territory” for both states, and the surge in COVID-19 cases could mean ED tents outside hospitals, ICUs in operating theatres and potentially serious delays in other patient care.

His comments come after Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews released the state’s roadmap to reopening, while NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned the “worst weeks” were still to come in hospitals and ICUs.

“It sounded to me yesterday like both Premier Andrews and Premier Berejiklian were making it clear to everyone that this is going to be something that none of us have seen in the Australian healthcare system, in our lifetime,” Dr Parnis told ABC News.