New York City Uses About 100 Ventilators, Compared to Up to 300 Projected - Mayor

NEW YORK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2020) New York City is using significantly smaller number of ventilators to treat patients who had contracted the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), with only about 100 machines being used this week, compared to 300 initially projected, Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a press briefing on Wednesday.

"As recently as Sunday, we expected the number of new ventilators we were going to need each day to be 200 to 300, maybe even more. But what's happened in the last couple of days, is that number has come down," de Blasio said. "That number is more like 100 or even less in terms of the number of ventilators we will need new each day."

New York City hospitals now have a total of almost 5,500 ventilators and an additional 135 in emergency reserve.

"It means for the first time in a while, so I can say with assurance that we will get through this week," the mayor pointed out.

De Blasio added that, based on the preliminary data, the hospitalization rate has also stabilized over the past few days; however, it is too early to say that the most challenging time for the city has passed.

"I want to be clear," he said. "We know that means we are not out of the woods. So far, so good, but a long way to go."

New York has become the epicenter of the coronavirus crisis in the United States with at least 138,836 positive cases as of Tuesday and 5,489 deaths.