COVID-19 cases surpassed 1,000 in the United States late Tuesday as the new flu-like coronavirus sweeps across the country. As of 8:40 a.m. ET Wednesday, there were at least 1,039 cases in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University data. The virus is now present in at least 35 states and the District of Columbia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Almost half of all U.S. cases are in Washington state, California and New York, where the governors have all declared states of emergency to free up funding for communities battling outbreaks. At least 28 people have died in the U.S. due to the virus, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University. The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was reported in Washington state in January. Globally, COVID-19 has infected more than 121,061 people, killing at least 4,368. There were just over 100 confirmed cases in the U.S. on March 4, according to the World Health Organization. Since then, the virus has spread rapidly from the U.S. epicenter in Washington state across the country.

Federal missteps

State officials have criticized the federal response, particularly with regard to the U.S. capacity to test for the virus. The tests were initially marred by quality control issues, delaying testing for Americans who were or thought they were infected and prompting some states such as New York to seek emergency approval to use their own test kits.

Center for Disease and Control (CDC) Director Robert Redfield testifies before the House Appropriations Committee on the CDC's budget request for fiscal year 2021 on Capitol Hill on March 10, 2020 in Washington, DC. Samuel Corum | Getty Images

Lack of funding has hampered the federal government's response to the outbreak, the Director of the CDC Robert Redfield told lawmakers Tuesday. "The truth is we've under-invested in the public health labs," Redfield said. "There's not enough equipment, there's not enough people, there's not enough internal capacity, there's no search capacity." The Trump administration has enlisted private companies to help cut the difference. The CDC is partnering with Integrated DNA Technologies to manufacture the tests under a CDC contract. IDT is partnering with commercial labs, including LabCorp and Quest, for the testing. Last week, President Donald Trump signed an $8.3 billion spending bill to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, pumping billions of dollars into prevention efforts and research in hopes of quickly producing a vaccine for the deadly disease.

Broader spread

Epidemiologists and public health specialists say the number of infections is likely much larger than the number of lab-diagnosed cases. The CDC has warned that the virus is likely to continue to spread. "It's fair to say that, as the trajectory of the outbreak continues, many people in the United States will at some point in time, either this year or next, be exposed to this virus and there's a good chance many will become sick," Dr. Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said earlier this week. Most people won't develop serious symptoms, the CDC has said, but 15% to 20% of the people who are exposed to the virus get severely sick. U.S. officials have emphasized the risk to the average American remains low. The CDC has warned those most at-risk — older people and those with underlying health conditions — to avoid crowds, touching "high-touch" surfaces in public areas and close contact with people who are sick. "This seems to be a disease that affects adults and most seriously older adults," Messonnier said. "Starting at age 60, there is an increasing risk of disease and the risk increases with age."

Country prepares

'Light at the end of the tunnel'