N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo to deploy the National Guard to commandeer ventilators

<p>Governor Andrew Cuomo Friday said he will sign an executive order to allow New York State commandeer ventilators and other equipment from institutions not currently using them.</p><p>“I’m not going to let people die because we didn’t redistribute ventilators,” Cuomo said during his daily press conference. “Am I seizing ventilators? No, I’m claiming excess equipment to save lives,” he added, adding that the National Guard will transport the ventilators, masks and other equipment to hard-hit parts of the state like New York City.</p><p>The death toll has gone up from 2,373 to 2,935 in the last 24 hours, Cuomo told reporters. He described it as the "highest single increase in the number of deaths since we started."</p><p>Cuomo, who warned on Thursday that the state's stockpile of ventilators would run out in the next six days, said there are hospitals in the state that have several hundred ventilators and excess protective gear but are not yet dealing with high numbers of COVID-19 cases.</p><p> The governor predicted the move would add “several hundred” of the machines to active service, and promised to reimburse any companies or institutions for equipment that was not eventually returned.</p>