Tesla CEO Elon Musk commented that the company's factory in Buffalo, New York 'as quickly as humanly possiblewill open to produce respirators that are scarce due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. His response made via Twitter on Wednesday follows earlier statements from the CEO outlining plans to donate respirators.

Musk aims to increase the production of critical medical equipment needed for patients who are hospitalized with COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by coronavirus. 

COVID-19 affects the lungs and can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia. And since there is no clinically proven treatment yet, op respirators trusted to help people breathe and fight the disease. There are approximately 160.000 fans in the United States and another 12.700 in the National Strategic Supply, the NYT reported.

collaboration with Medtronic

It is not clear based on the pronunciations from Musk when the Buffalo factory would reopen or how long it would take to convert part of the factory used to produce solar panels. Musk did not say whether this was part of a possible partnership with Medtronic.

Omar Ishrak, Medtronic's CEO, told CNBC on Wednesday that it will increase the capacity of its intensive care respirators and partner with others like Tesla. 

Medtronic, Inc. is the world's largest company specializing in medical technology. The headquarters are located in Fridley, Minnesota. The company was founded in 1949 by Earl Bakken and Palmer Hermundslie in a garage. The original occupation was to repair faulty medical equipment.

Also read: Tesla factory Shanghai can build twice as much

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