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New ventilators promised in days as industrial response to COVID-19 kicks in

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the government is moving forward with the private sector on agreements to purchase equipment for the response to COVID-19.

Hundreds of ventilators are now in production as part of efforts to shore up national stockpiles of crucial equipment needed to fight the virus.

Thornhill Medical, a Toronto-based company, says it's making 500 ventilators that will arrive at hospitals and health-care facilities in early April.

The company is one of three signed up by the federal government on March 20 to produce critical goods.

Two others are also at work, one making masks and another developing rapid COVID-19 test kits.

Thornhill Medical says it has teamed up with manufacturing company Linamar to make the ventilators.

The equipment is considered crucial as COVID-19 is a respiratory disease and in severe cases can make impossible for people to breathe on their own.