Cuomo says New York is not ready for “high point,” as coronavirus death toll rises

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said Saturday that more than 3,500 people in the state have died due to the coronavirus. More than 113,000 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the state, which is the U.S. epicenter of the outbreak. 

Cuomo says New York is “not at the apex” of cases

New York has not yet reached its expected peak in the number of cases. “We're not at the apex,” Cuomo said, adding that the state is “not yet ready for the high point.”

Cuomo announced he is signing an executive order to allow medical students who were slated to graduate in the spring to begin practice.

“We need doctors, we need nurses. So we're going to expedite that,” Cuomo said.

Cuomo says state never received 17,000 ventilators

Cuomo said that the state had put in an order for 17,000 ventilators. By comparison, he said, the national stockpile has around 10,000 ventilators.

“We had signed documents. We placed the order,” Cuomo said. “But then you get a call saying we can't fill that order.”

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The governor said the unfilled order was likely due to global shortages and intense competition for ventilators.

Cuomo said that New York was also doing business with Chinese companies, as China was the “repository” of most personal protective equipment. Cuomo said that the Chinese government had facilitated a donation of 1,000 ventilators that will arrive in New York on Saturday.

He said the state of Oregon is also sending 140 ventilators to the United States.