Washington (CNN) The nation's top infectious disease expert on Sunday warned that hundreds of thousands could die nationwide if America doesn't take necessary action to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Asked on by CNN's Brianna Keilar on "State of the Union" if hundreds of thousands could die from coronavirus, Dr. Anthony Fauci said that "it could happen, and it could be worse."

"Our challenge is to try and make that not happen," continued Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease.

Fauci emphasized that it's imperative for Americans to recognize the risks of the virus and take actions to prevent its spread if they want to reduce the potential death toll from the pandemic.

Read More