After promising to deliver ventilators to hospitals treating Chinese virus patients in Los Angles, Elon Musk has reportedly delivered a number of CPAP machines that are not recommended for the treatment for coronavirus, which can “pump viruses into the air” according to experts.

Breitbart News recently reported that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk stated that he shipped 1,225 ventilators from China to Los Angeles as medical facilities across the United States face shortages due to the Wuhan coronavirus pandemic. In a press conference last week, California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) stated that Musk has delivered 1,000 ventilators to help California hospitals dealing with the Pandemic. “I told you a few days ago that [Musk] was likely to have 1,000 ventilators this week,” Newsom said. “They’ve arrived in Los Angeles… It was a heroic effort.”

Now it seems that the ventilators that Musk delivered were not actually medical-grade ventilators, but rather CPAP machines that are not recommended for the treatment of the Chinese virus, according to reports.

LA Times reporter Russ Mitchell discussed the issue in a Twitter thread in which he claimed that many physicians were unwilling to discuss the topic with him due to fear of antagonizing Musk:

2. I’ve research the subject, including talks with two physicians with ventilator experience. They asked not to be named, in one case because “I don’t want to antagonize Elon Musk.” — Russ Mitchell (@russ1mitchell) April 2, 2020

Mitchell further added that although CPAP machines are sometimes referred to as “ventilators” they are not the type of ventilator that medical professionals currently need to treat coronavirus patients. Mitchell stated that Musk has publicly stated that he’s been talking with device maker Medtronic about building ventilators but so far no deal has been made public:

4. Musk said publicly he’s talked with device maker Medtronic about building ventilators. Medtronic’s CEO said on CNBC that he spoke with Musk. But no partnership has been announced, and there’s no evidence that Tesla or SpaceX are preparing to build ventilators of any kind. — Russ Mitchell (@russ1mitchell) April 2, 2020

5. They could be hard at work doing so, but there’s no evidence beyond the aspirational that there's anything to it. If the plans are real, @elonmusk or anyone from either company can get in touch with me and I’d be happy to write about the important work they're doing. — Russ Mitchell (@russ1mitchell) April 2, 2020

Mitchell clarified that referring to the ventilators as “five years old” was a reference to the model of CPAP machine, the machines that Musk delivered were new:

6. To clarify “five year old.” These are new machines but a five-year-old discontinued model. — Russ Mitchell (@russ1mitchell) April 2, 2020

CPAP machines are reportedly not recommended for the treatment of Wuhan coronavirus patients as without a proper filtration system, CPAP machines can actually increase the spread of infectious disease by aerosolizing the virus. NPR detailed this in a recent article, writing:

The American Society of Anesthesiologists issued guidance on Feb. 23 discouraging CPAP use in COVID-19 patients — advice largely informed by experience with the SARS epidemic in 2003. Studies dating to 2003 suggest that such devices can pump viruses into the air, potentially increasing the spread of a contagious disease. During the SARS outbreak in Toronto, half of all SARS cases, including three deaths, occurred among health care workers. Some of the greatest risk arose when doctors and nurses were exposed to aerosolized virus through the use of positive airway pressure machines or other respiratory therapy devices. The experiences from the Life Care Center of Kirkland now have doctors rethinking their strategies when faced with ventilator shortages, and their advice to first responders about using CPAP machines in the field. “In general, we’re just telling them not to use it,” said Dr. Comilla Sasson, an associate clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Because we are concerned about community spread, and we have to assume that anybody with respiratory distress is a COVID patient.” And doctors even suggest that those who use the devices at home should take precautions to prevent infecting others.

Musk recently tweeted that he had extra “FDA-approved ventilators” that he was willing to ship to hospitals worldwide if needed, its unclear if these devices are fully working ventilators or rather CPAP machines that will need modification in order to treat coronavirus patients.

We have extra FDA-approved ventilators. Will ship to hospitals worldwide within Tesla delivery regions. Device & shipping cost are free. Only requirement is that the vents are needed immediately for patients, not stored in a warehouse. Please me or @Tesla know. — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 31, 2020

Breitbart News will continue to report on this story.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship. Follow him on Twitter @LucasNolan or contact via secure email at the address lucasnolan@protonmail.com