Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla, has announced that he and his companies have access to additional FDA-approved ventilators that can be shipped free of cost to hospitals within regions where the electric car maker delivers.

"We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device and shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please or @Tesla know," Musk tweeted on Tuesday.

The need for additional ventilators has taken center stage in the ongoing fight against the spread of coronavirus and the ventilator has become a critical first line of defense for patients infected by the virus.

Musk had offered 1,255 ventilators for free to help fight COVID-19 pandemic.

He has also donated 50,000 N95 surgical masks and various protective items to a hospital in the US.

Additionally, Musk said that the company's Gigafactory facility in New York will soon reopen to begin producing ventilators that are in short supply due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

*Edited from an IANS report