Thousands Of Ventilators To Be Available To The NHS From 'Next Week'

The UK government has announced that thousands of ventilators will become available to the NHS next week, to help in the fight against coronavirus.

Leading today's daily Covid-19 briefing, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove said: "The Prime Minister and Health Secretary are working with companies world wide to ensure we get the material we need to increase tests of all kinds."

PA

He went on: "As well as increasing the number of staff on the front line and the tests which protect them, we must also increase the capacity to provide oxygen to those worst affected by the disease.

"We have just over 8,000 ventilators deployed in NHS hospitals now, this number has increased since the epidemic began thanks to the hard work of NHS professions. But we need more.

"That's why we are buying more ventilators from abroad - including from EU nations. That's also why we're developing new sources of supply at home. Before the epidemic struck we had very little domestic manufacture of ventilators.

"But now, thanks to the dedication of existing medical supply companies and the ingenuity of our manufacturing base, we have existing models being produced in significantly greater numbers."

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He continued: "Orders are being placed for consortium led by Ford, Airbus, the Formula One racing teams including McLaren, GKN Aerospace and Rolls Royce and Dyson.

"I can add, this weekend, the first thousands of new ventilator devices will roll off the production line and be delivered to the NHS next week. From there, they will be rapidly distributed to the front line."

He said the government is also working to increase the capacity to provide oxygen at an earlier stage in the process of the disease.

Today, the Department of Health and Social Care announced 381 people who had tested positive for coronavirus had died from 5pm Sunday (29 March) to 5pm yesterday (30 March), the highest number in a 24 hour period.

As of 9am this morning, 143,186 people have been tested with 25,150 results returning positive.

Topics: UK News, News, Coronavirus, UK

Rebecca Shepherd

I'm Becky - a journalist at LADbible. I graduated with a First Class BA in Journalism before going on to cover criminal court cases, medical tribunals and breaking news for the national media - which inevitably and eventually became as glum as it sounds. Can often be found rocking a bag for life - which I made a 'thing' way before Rihanna. You can contact me at [email protected]

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