MOSCOW, April 22. /TASS/. Russia will increase the production of respiratory medical devices 8 times up to 800 units in April, Industry and Trade Minister Denis Manturov said at a meeting of the Presidium of the Coordination Council under the Russian government to combat the spread of coronavirus.

"Thanks to these emergency decisions, the production of respiratory medical devices will increase eight times - from 100 in March to 800 units in April," he said. He added that Russia will release 2,500 units in May and 3,500 units in June.

"As for respiratory medical devices, which are still in great demand today, we are solving two key tasks now: firstly, we are building up the production by purchasing components abroad, and secondly, we are hiring skilled workers to produce them," Manturov said.

According to him, the devices are shipped via two channels: under the state contract with the Industry and Trade Ministry for the supply of 6,700 units worth 7.5 bln rubles ($98 mln) and under regional contracts concluded directly with manufacturers.

At the same time, under the state contract, the main part of the devices will be delivered to the regions in May-June, the minister said.

Earlier an official with Rostec state corporation told TASS said that they were ready to start exporting respiratory medical devices in June-July, after the fulfillment of the government order. The state corporation said that it has already received applications for more than 20,000 devices from 45 countries.