New York has enough ventilators for only six more days

The US state of New York has reported over 90,000 positive cases of COVID-19 so far.

During one of his daily briefings, Governor Andrew Cuomo claimed that the state has enough ventilators to last six days.

Additionally, he claimed that the federal government will not be able to provide the number of ventilators needed in the coming days.

As masks also increasingly run out in New York City, the mayor Bill De Blasio has requested citizens to make masks at home, or to simply cover using a cloth to limit spreading the virus.

“When you put on that face covering, you’re protecting everyone else,” he said.

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He requested the people to wear anything ranging from a scarf to a bandanna. He further added to avoid wearing surgical masks which are in shortage and are required by healthcare workers on the frontline.

A recent study in Singapore claims that over 10 per cent of infections are spread by people who carry the virus but do not experience symptoms.

Since then, the American approach has changed from only-wear-masks-if-you’re-sick to everybody-needs masks.

As the US cases approach 215,000, the death toll has increased to 5,000.

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Recently, the state had released 400 ventilators for use by New York City.

As of now, the state stockpile has over 2,200 ventilators and more will be released to the city based on the need. According to Cuomo, over 350 people come to hospitals everyday seeking assistance in breathing.

The state of New York has recorded 2,373 deaths alone. The number was 1,941 yesterday. The state is being dubbed as the American epicentre of the virus, as it accounts for nearly half of the coronavirus-related deaths in the entire country.

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According to the Johns Hopkins coronavirus tracker, global deaths have now surpassed 50,000, while over 1 million people have now tested positive for the virus.

However, New York is also witnessing a high discharge rate, as is the rest of the US, if compared to other countries. 

To meet the increasing demand, New York has constructed makeshift hospitals at the Javits centre and the Brooklyn cruise terminal to increase the bed capacity.

“Beds we can find,” Cuomo said. “The harder component is the staff and the supplies.”

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