Cuomo says New York getting 1,000 ventilators from China to help in coronavirus battle
New York is getting 1,000 lifesaving ventilators from China to aid in its battle against the new coronavirus threatening to overwhelm New York City hospitals, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Saturday.
Another 500 of the breathing machines will be moved from upstate New York to downstate hospitals being hit hardest by COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, Cuomo said during a press briefing.
The state of Oregon is also sending 140 ventilators to New York where thousands of new COVID-19 infections are confirmed daily.
"This is a big deal, and it's going to make a significant difference," Cuomo said, calling the redistribution of ventilators a key to saving more lives in New York and across the globe.
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"We’re all in the same battle here, and the battle is stopping the spread of the virus," he said.
The 1,000 ventilators from China were expected to arrive Saturday at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City. The Chinese government facilitated the effort connected to Alibaba, the massive online retailer in China, Cuomo said.
The news came as the coronavirus death toll in New York mounted, hitting 3,565 as of Saturday morning, up from 2,935 the day before. The state had 113,704 confirmed cases, up about 10,000 from Friday.
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Despite obtaining 1,000 ventilators from China on Saturday, Cuomo said a previously announced deal in which New York would have obtained 17,000 of the breathing machines from China largely fell through amid global competition for the equipment.
Instead, New York was able to purchase about 2,500 ventilators through that prior deal, Cuomo said.
The newly announced delivery of 1,000 was achieved in part through the efforts of Alibaba co-founders Jack Ma and Joe Tsai, who is also owner of the Brooklyn Nets, according to Cuomo.
It is all part of the race to secure the roughly 30,000 ventilators that New York is expected to need if COVID-19 cases continue to surge in coming days, Cuomo said, adding that the apex of the outbreak in New York City is expected within the next seven to 21 days.
Cuomo, a Democrat, warned Thursday that the state could run out of ventilators within six days and as projections have estimated New York might have 16,000 deaths by the time the virus runs its course.
"Part of me would like to be at the apex and let’s do it...but we're not yet ready for the apex yet," Cuomo said Saturday. "We’re still working on the capacity of the system."
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Oregon's state officials announced they would send 140 ventilators to New York without being asked, Cuomo said, calling it an "astonishing and unexpected" show of support between the two states.
He added the move underscored Oregon officials understanding that New York would return the favor if and when the virus hits Oregon, which is projected to see its peak sometime in May.
"They see the fire spreading," he said, referring to the virus and Oregon's efforts to stop its spread "before it gets to (their) home."
How New York plans to move ventilators from upstate to downstate
Further, Cuomo said he will sign an executive order that will allow the National Guard to go to hospitals and health-care facilities to take unused ventilators and other medical supplies so they can be used downstate.
"I’m not going to let people die because we didn’t redistribute ventilators," Cuomo said Friday.
The plan involves taking 20% of the unused ventilators from upstate, meaning about 500 breathing machines will be heading downstate.
It's unclear which facilities upstate will be providing the 500 ventilators. Cuomo said he plans to meet with hospital leaders Saturday to discuss details of the effort.
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Cuomo said the state will either bring the ventilators back when they are finished being used or the state will pay the facilities for new ones.
The goal is not to leave other facilities without any equipment, just no excess equipment, he said.
Meanwhile, Republican and Democratic political leaders in upstate communities voiced concerns about the the strategy to move ventilators downstate.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello, a Democrat, addressed Cuomo's plan in a statement Friday.
“The health and safety of the residents of Monroe County is, and will always be, my number one priority," Bello said.
"While it’s reasonable to share resources across communities when available, the reality is that Monroe County’s positive cases, hospitalizations, and ventilator usage increase daily. We do not have excess capacity to send supplies out of the region,” he added.
U.S. Rep. Joseph Morelle, D-N.Y., echoed and expanded upon Bello's comments.
“My primary and immediate concern is ensuring our region has the resources it needs to serve the growing number of critical COVID-19 patients in our community,” Morelle said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, our regional health systems have repeatedly indicated that excess ventilator capacity does not exist at this time,” he added.
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Morelle also addressed the ongoing debate over President Donald Trump’s approach to using wartime powers to force U.S. companies to produce more ventilators and other medical supplies.
“I am deeply distressed that President Trump’s failure to invoke the Defense Production Act in a timely manner, provide adequate testing, and supply our communities with personal protective equiptment has put New York State in this extraordinarily difficult position.”
David Robinson is the state health care reporter for the USA TODAY Network New York. He can be reached at drobinson@gannett.com and followed on Twitter: @DrobinsonLoHud
This article originally appeared on New York State Team: Coronavirus: Cuomo says China, Oregon sending ventilators to New York
