Chinese Ventilators Could Kill Coronavirus Patients, UK Doctors Warn

British doctors have warned that 250 ventilators bought from China could cause “significant patient harm, including death” if there are used on Chinese coronavirus suffers in hospitals in the United Kingdom.

Senior doctors from a National Health Service (NHS) regional trust in Birmingham said that the build of the Shangrila 510 model ventilators, made by Beijing Aeonmed Co Ltd, was “basic” and that the oxygen supply was “variable and unreliable”.

It was also the wrong type as it was designed for ambulances, meaning medics had to set up make-shift stands for the mobile devices to place next to hospital beds. The cloth casing is also said to be difficult to clean, causing hygiene concerns in the high-infection environment, according to the letter seen by American network NBC News and published on Thursday.

“We believe that if used, significant patient harm, including death, is likely,” the letter said, continuing: “We look forward to the withdrawal and replacement of these ventilators with devices better able to provide intensive care ventilation for our patients.”

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