ST. PAUL — The state of Minnesota is facing many challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, including finding more ventilators for hospitals.

According to a new website dedicated to COVID-19 unveiled by Gov. Tim Walz on Friday, Minnesota has a capacity of 2,241 ventilators, with 857 ventilators already in use. Another 888 ventilators are ordered.

Walz said during a video address the state of Minnesota is making more information public on the response to COVID-19, including a tally of important supplies like ventilators and face masks.

The website provides data on both COVID-19 cases in Minnesota and the state’s preparation and response capacity.

While Walz said Minnesota was prepared for a surge of coronavirus cases, he also said there are clear challenges facing the state’s response. One was in making sure there are enough ventilators for COVID-19 patients and personal protective equipment (PPE) to go around for health care workers and emergency responders.

“We need more of these things,” Walz said of Minnesota’s PPE supplies, which include face masks, gloves and N95 respirators for medical workers. “There’s no secret either that there’s somewhat of a disconnect between the federal strategic stockpile and what the states have. My job as governor is to find a way to get these, and that’s exactly what we’re doing, both internally with our procurement specialists and then externally with some of the best companies in the world helping us do that.”

According to data on the website, Minnesota had obtained a total of 243,000 face masks, 208,000 gloves, and 374,000 N95 respirators for a state stockpile. Thousands of those supplies have already been distributed around the state.

Minnesota also had a capacity of 2,241 ventilators, with 857 ventilators already in use. Another 888 ventilators are ordered, according to the website.

Walz said the state’s procurement officer and team are working to buy the additional ventilators and supplies that are needed. The procurement team is also working with the private sector to do so, he said.

The website also laid out the surge capacity for ICU beds across the state. As of Friday, there was a capacity of 1,145 ICU beds across Minnesota, with an additional 1,098 beds that could be ready in 24 hours, and 525 beds that could be ready in 72 hours. A total of 881 ICU beds are currently in use.

More information on Minnesota’s COVID-19 response is available through the online dashboard, at www.mn.gov/covid19.

By continuing to follow social distancing practices and the stay-at-home order, Minnesotans are slowing the spread of COVID-19 and buying valuable time for the state to build up its response, Walz said. The peak of the COVID-19 wave will eventually come to Minnesota, he said.

“I know these actions are painful,” Walz said. However, he said, “If we don’t follow social distancing, this thing will come roaring back.”