Cuomo says Chinese government has donated 1,000 ventilators to New York

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Saturday that the Chinese government had donated 1,000 ventilators to the state to help manage its ongoing coronavirus crisis there, in what has become the center of the disease's outbreak in the United States.

Cuomo made the announcement in a tweet on Saturday morning. "We finally got some good news today. The Chinese government helped facilitate a donation of 1,000 ventilators that will arrive in JFK today," he said. 

"I thank the Chinese government, Jack Ma, Joe Tsai, the Jack Ma Foundation, the Tsai Foundation and Consul General Huang," he added, naming several individuals and organizations that have helped bring more ventilators to the state. 

Bejing's fortuitous shipment may constitute a partial face-saving measure for the Chinese government, which is widely regarded as having badly fumbled its management of the initial coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan. A team of scientists concluded last month that earlier intervention on the Chinese government's part could have mitigated upwards of 95 percent of coronavirus cases there. 

Chinese manufacturers last month were also found to have distributed faulty coronavirus testing supplies to Spain and the Czech Republic. 

Cuomo also announced via Twitter on Saturday that the state of Oregon sent 140 ventilators to New York. "We are so grateful to [Oregon Gov. Kate Brown] and the people of Oregon," he said, adding: "On behalf of the people of NY, I thank you and rest assured that NY will repay the favor when Oregon needs it."