Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the electric car’s Gigafactory facility in Buffalo, New York will soon reopen “as soon as humanly possible” to begin producing ventilators that are in short supply due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible. We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York,” Musk tweeted on Wednesday.
His tweet comes after New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said that it will be a matter of days before people diagnosed with COVID-19, who could have otherwise been saved, will start dying due to lack of supply of ventilators.
The mayor had added that the city’s 11 public hospitals will be able to get through the week with the existing equipment and medical supplies they already have.
The need for additional ventilators has taken center stage in the ongoing fight against the spread of coronavirus and the ventilator has become a critical first line of defense for patients infected by the virus.
Tesla shut down its Gigafactory New York in Buffalo earlier this week after lockdown orders have been implemented in various parts of the US.
At Gigafactory New York, Tesla produces its solar roof tiles as well as other products and accessories, like components for its Supercharger V3.
Earlier, Musk offered 1,255 ventilators for free to help fight COVID-19 pandemic.
Musk has also donated 50,000 N95 surgical masks and various protective items to a hospital in the US.
(With input from agencies)