Ironically, entities in US looking to buy medical supplies from China, says NY Gov

States across the US are fighting among themselves to source essential medical supplies as the novel coronavirus cases in the country surge daily and 'ironically' most entities are looking to buy from China, where the virus originated in the city of Wuhan.

New York: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo has said states across the US are 'fighting' among themselves to source essential medical supplies as the novel coronavirus cases in the country surge daily and 'ironically' most entities are looking to buy from China, where the virus originated in the city of Wuhan.

Addressing reporters at the sprawling Jacob K Javits Convention Center on Monday, Cuomo said New York added 6,984 COVID19 cases and the total number of confirmed coronavirus patients statewide is 66,000 with 1,218 deaths.

"That is a lot of loss. That is a lot of pain. That is a lot of tears. That is a lot of grief that people all across the state are feeling. 1,200 is up from 965 deaths," he said.

Referring to the increase in deaths across the state, Cuomo said, “The longer you are on a ventilator, the less likely you will ever come off that ventilator. And as we have now some period when people first entered the hospital and were first intubated, we are seeing that death number go up as the length of time on the ventilator increases,” he said.

Of the 66,000 cases, 9,500 people are currently hospitalised, 2,000 are ICU patients and 4,000 patients have bee discharged, an increase of 632.

“You don't often focus on this line when we have these conversations. But people go into the hospital and people leave the hospital, and that is important to remember.”

Cuomo voiced concern over the shortage and slow supply of essential medical equipment to deal with the surge in coronavirus cases across the country.

“We need supplies desperately and we're working on that...we're in a situation where you have 50 states all competing for supplies. The federal government is now also competing for supplies. Private hospitals are also competing for supplies. So we've created a situation where you have hundreds of entities looking to buy the same materials, basically from the same place which is China, ironically enough. We're fighting amongst ourselves. We're competing amongst ourselves.”

The deadly coronavirus that first originated in Chinese city of Wuhan last year has killed 3,305 people in the country and infected 81,518.

He cited the example of the rising cost of ventilators, among the most essential equipment required by the hospitals to treat the COVID19 cases.

Cuomo said when the state first started buying ventilators, they cost under USD 20,000 and are now selling for over USD 50,000, “If you can find them. The ventilators didn't change that much in two weeks. The prices went up because we are driving the prices up.”

Emphasising that no state or country can win the battle against the coronavirus if it plays catch up with it, Cuomo said they have to plan for weeks in advance when the apex of the cases in reached.

“This virus has been ahead of us since day one. We have been playing catch-up from day one. You never win playing catch up. Get ahead of the problem. Don't fight today's fight. Plan for two weeks, three weeks, four weeks from now when you're going to have the apex, and make sure that we are in a position to win the battle when the battle is truly drawn, which is going to be at the apex.”

He said it is important to prepare stockpiles now so that the states are prepared for a battle to come. “And you have to have the equipment, and you have to have it now.

“I have done disaster work all across the nation. I can tell you this, if you wait to prepare for the storm to hit, it is too late. You have to prepare before the storm hits. And in this case, the storm is when you hit that high point, when you hit that apex. How do you know when you're going to get there? You don't,” he said, adding that there is no crystal ball but there is science and data that has tracked the virus and its progress since China.

Cuomo added the coronavirus is a deadly, serious situation and is more important than politics and partisanship.

“And if there is division at this time, the virus will defeat us... In this situation, there are no red states, and there are no blue states, and there are no red casualties, and there are no blue casualties. It is red, white and blue,” referring to colours of the American flag.

(With inputs from PTI)