Russia Gives Extra Funds To Ventilator Makers Amid COVID-19 Epidemic - Health Minister

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th March, 2020) The Russian government has allocated additional funds to step up the production of ventilators in face of the coronavirus epidemic, Health Minister Mikhail Murashko told Sputnik in an interview.

With over 700,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 30,000 deaths globally, the demand for ventilators in Russia and across the world keeps rising.

"To date, the country has [a stockpile] of these devices. It is also very important that we have our own production base to make such equipment.

The government has already allocated additional funds to companies that produce such equipment. They are now stepping up the production. If earlier we had a production capacity of 1,000 ventilators a month, today this number is increasing multiple times, " Murashko said.

The minister, however, added that everything needed to resuscitate a patient should be kept in focus, i.e. "the device itself, vital sign monitors and medical staff."

Russia has so far confirmed a total of 1,534 COVID-19 cases, and eight people have died.