New York has been one of the epicenters of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. As of Saturday, New York City had accounted for more than 1,900 deaths, according to the latest tracking data from Johns Hopkins University.

With hospitals overwhelmed, medical workers are running low on the personal protective equipment (PPE) necessary to keep themselves protected from the virus. That's what makes the latest gesture from the NBA and the two local teams, the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, all the more important.

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the league, in collaboration with the Knicks, Nets and China's Consul General Huang Ping, is contributing one million surgical masks for the state's essential workers.

"New York thanks you," Cuomo wrote on Twitter. "We are beyond grateful for this gift of critically needed PPE."

New York reported 630 coronavirus-related deaths on Friday, the deadliest day thus far. Earlier Saturday, Cuomo announced the donation of 1,000 ventilators from the Chinese government.

The New England Patriots sent their team plane to China this week to pick up 1.2 million masks, with an additional 500,000 on the way. Owner Robert Kraft sent 300,000 of those masks to New York.