NEW YORK - Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday announced a new partnership that will help the city produce an estimated 50,000 coronavirus testing kits per week.

The mayor says the New York City Economic Development Corporation is building the supply chain that will involve local labs, manufacturers and 3D printers.

It's scheduled to launch in May.

"If people could make them around the world why not us?" said de Blasio. "I am here to announce to you that we have found a way."

Additionally, the mayor says Indiana-based Aria Diagnostics will be donating 50,000 COVID-19 test kits to New York.

Starting April 20, the New York City EDC will also be purchasing 50,000 test kits from Aria each week.

That is expected to bring the total amount of tests to 100,000 a week.

The mayor says assembling the kits comprises three components - nasal swabs, viral transport medium, and tubes.

The mayor is urging anyone who wants to help build out the new test kit network to email testhelp@edc.nyc.

Mayor de Blasio also detailed eight companies currently working in the Brooklyn Navy Yard to produce face shields.

He says 240,000 are being created per week, and will soon be 465,000 per week by April 24.

The goal will be to produce 600,000 weekly in the city.

Five companies are also working to produce surgical gowns, which are in great need, the mayor noted.

Currently, 30,000 are being produced weekly, which will grow to 100,000 next week. Eventually 250,000 surgical gowns are expected to be produced per week.