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Boris Johnson has made an urgent plea to the US for more ventilators amid the coronavirus crisis, according to Donald Trump.

The prime minister, who is self-isolating after being diagnosed with Covid-19, reportedly made the appeal on a call with the US president on Friday.

“Before he even said hello he said, ‘we need ventilators,’” Mr Trump said in a press conference.

“I said, ‘wow that’s a big statement.’ Hopefully he’s going to be in good shape.”

Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Trump’s remarks.

The government is desperately trying to source more ventilators for the NHS to cope with the expected surge in coronavirus cases over the coming weeks.

Britain currently has 17,089 cases and 1,019 deaths, after fatalities jumped by their highest amount yet - 260 - on Saturday. The true number of people carrying the disease is thought to be much higher, as some are asymptomatic.

Mr Johnson held a conference call with businesses involved in the manufacturing of ventilators on Thursday evening, where he was updated on how soon more could be produced, Number 10 confirmed.

The World on Coronavirus lockdown 45 show all The World on Coronavirus lockdown 1/45 Getty Images 2/45 A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters 3/45 Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP 4/45 A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images 5/45 Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images 6/45 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 7/45 View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images 8/45 Rome AFP via Getty Images 9/45 An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images 10/45 Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images 11/45 A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters 12/45 Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images 13/45 Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images 14/45 Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images 15/45 The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images 16/45 Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images 17/45 An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP 18/45 Venice Beach, California Getty Images 19/45 Los Angeles, California Getty Images 20/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 21/45 Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images 22/45 Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters 23/45 A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images 24/45 Caracas AFP via Getty Images 25/45 Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images 26/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 27/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 28/45 A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images 29/45 Florida Keys AP 30/45 The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP 31/45 The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP 32/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 33/45 A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images 34/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 35/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 36/45 Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters 37/45 An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images 38/45 The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images 39/45 Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images 40/45 An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images 41/45 A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP 42/45 A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters 43/45 Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images 44/45 A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA 45/45 Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA 1/45 Getty Images 2/45 A UK government public health campaign is displayed in Piccadilly Circus Reuters 3/45 Chinese paramilitary police and security officers wear face masks to protect against the spread of the new coronavirus as they stand guard outside an entrance to the Forbidden City in Beijing AP 4/45 A usually busy 42nd Street is seen nearly empty in New York AFP via Getty Images 5/45 Bondi Beach, Australia Getty Images 6/45 Military vehicles cross Westminster Bridge after members of the 101 Logistic Brigade delivered a consignment of medical masks to St Thomas' hospital Getty Images 7/45 View of the illuminated statue of Christ the Redeemer that reads "Thank you" as Archbishop of the city of Rio de Janeiro Dom Orani Tempesta performs a mass in honor of Act of Consecration of Brazil and tribute to medical workers amidst the Coronavirus (COVID - 19) pandemic Getty Images 8/45 Rome AFP via Getty Images 9/45 An Indian man paddles his bicycle in front of a mural depicting the globe covered in a mask, as India remains under an unprecedented lockdown over the highly contagious coronavirus Getty Images 10/45 Aerial view of the empty 9 de Julio avenue in Buenos Aires in Argentina AFP via Getty Images 11/45 A view of an empty Grand Canal Reuters 12/45 Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain Getty Images 13/45 Aerial view of the empty Central cemetery in Bogota, Columbia AFP via Getty Images 14/45 Miami, Florida AFP via Getty Images 15/45 The facade of the Palacio de Lopez (seat of the government palace) AFP via Getty Images 16/45 Aerial view of the empty Simon Bolivar park in Bogota AFP via Getty Images 17/45 An LAPD patrol car drives through Venice Beach Boardwalk AP 18/45 Venice Beach, California Getty Images 19/45 Los Angeles, California Getty Images 20/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 21/45 Many shops stand shuttered on the Venice Beach boardwalk Getty Images 22/45 Empty escalators are seen at a deserted train station during morning rush hour after New South Wales began shutting down non-essential businesses Reuters 23/45 A nearly empty Times Square in New York AFP via Getty Images 24/45 Caracas AFP via Getty Images 25/45 Metropolitan Cathedral of San Salvador AFP via Getty Images 26/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Midland Park in Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 27/45 A general view of an unusually quiet Civic Square at lunchtimein Wellington, New Zealand Getty Images 28/45 A policeman rides his motorcycle wearing a face mask in front of a closed shopping mall in Buenos Aires, Argentina AFP via Getty Images 29/45 Florida Keys AP 30/45 The historic Channel 2 Bridge closed to fishermen, bikers and pedestrians in Florida Keys AP 31/45 The Beach on Scenic Gulf Drive near Seascape Resort in south Walton County, Florida sits empty of tourists AP 32/45 Surfers Paradise is seen empty in Australia Getty Images 33/45 A deserted Rajpath leading to India Gate in New Delhi AFP via Getty Images 34/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 35/45 A general view is seen of a closed Luna Park in Sydney, Australia Getty Images 36/45 Empty roads are pictured following the lockdown by the government amid concerns about the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Kathmandu, Nepal Reuters 37/45 An empty New York Subway car i AFP via Getty Images 38/45 The empty pedestrian zone is seen in the city of Cologne, western Germany, AFP via Getty Images 39/45 Place de la Comedie in the city of Montpellier , southern France AFP via Getty Images 40/45 An empty street in Kuwait city AFP via Getty Images 41/45 A building is covered by the Portuguese message: "Coronavirus: take precaution" over empty streets in downtown Sao Paulo, Brazil, AP 42/45 A general view shows an empty street after a curfew was imposed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters 43/45 Parliament of Canada is pictured with empty street during morning rush hour AFP via Getty Images 44/45 A near empty beach on Southend seafront in England PA 45/45 Near empty Keswick town centre in Cumbria, England PA

Number 10 said on Thursday that 8,000 additional ventilators had been ordered by the Government to boost the stock of 8,000 already available to the health service, with thousands more available in the “coming weeks” when the virus is expected to peak.

Dyson is among the companies that the government has floated a mass order from, with 30,000 thought to be needed. The company is awaiting clinical approval for its models and could mass manufacture 10,000 respiratory devices if it is granted.

The US current has 102,702 cases of Covid-19 - the highest number in the world - and deaths stand at 1,590.