(Yicai Global) Feb. 10 -- The Chinese government has released a list of 10 medical products that are in high demand because of the coronavirus epidemic that it will buy from suppliers to encourage local industries to boost production of these items.

The state will pay for protective uniforms, N95 masks, which have a 95 percent filtering efficiency rate, surgical masks, medical disposable masks, raw materials for masks and protective clothing, medical eye protectors, medical isolation gowns, reagent cartridges for nucleic acid testing of the novel virus, infrared thermometers as well as drugs and vaccines confirmed to be effective, the National Development and Reform Commission and other ministries said in a statement yesterday.

Wuhan, the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, is fast running short of medical supplies. The city still needs 41,400 pieces of medical protective clothing, 56,800 N95 masks as well as 19,200 protective glasses and masks, Executive Vice Mayor Hu Yabo said earlier.

So far, China has received 7 million medical masks, 299,500 protective suits, 191,900 protecting glasses and 3.6 million pairs of medical gloves from overseas donors, including 21 nations and one international organization, according to Wang Bin, deputy head of the Ministry of Commerce's Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion.

Authorities will continue to encourage the import of medical supplies from overseas, will exempt donated masks from import tariffs and will encourage domestic enterprises to procure more medical supplies, the NDRC added. The government will also manage their distribution.

Around 3,000 companies in different industries across the country have turned to making masks and the manufacture of other medical equipment to meet surging demand. For instance, private automaker BYD, state-owned Guangzhou Automobile Group and China-foreign joint venture SAIC-GM-Wuling Automobile have added masks and disinfectants to their production lines.

Editors: Dou Shicong, Kim Taylor