Mike Pence has admitted that the United States could see more deaths from the coronavirus.

Speaking on CNN’s State of the Union the vice-president, who has been put in charge of administration efforts to protect Americans from the deadly virus, acknowledged there could be more “sad news”, but insisted the risk to most people was still low.

He was speaking after the first confirmed death from the virus in the United States.

A man in his 50s who had underlying health problems succumbed to the illness in Washington state, where at least two other cases have been confirmed and 50 people in an elderly care home who are suffering from respiratory illness are being monitored.

Mr Pence’s assessment appeared to reflect a new sense of seriousness from the administration.

The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Show all 11 1 /11 The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Visitors with suspected symptoms of the new coronavirus, inside of a car, bottom right, get virus test by members of medical team as others queue in their cars at a "drive-through" test facility at Yeungnam University Medical Center in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Workers move equipment into containers set up as a makeshift medical facility to accommodate COVID-19 patients at a hospital's grounds in Daegu, South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea People wait in line to buy face masks in front of a store at Dongseongro shopping district in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical workers wearing protective gears comfort each other outside a hospital in Daegu, South Korea, on 28 February 2020 REUTERS The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Medical staff in protective gears arrive for a duty shift at Dongsan Hospital in Daegu South Korea on Friday 28 February 2020 AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A man wears a mask and goggles as he waits in line to buy face masks from a post office near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea South Korean medical workers wearing protective gear visit a residence of people with suspected symptoms of the COVID-19 coronavirus to take samples, near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean health worker sprays disinfectant as part of preventive measures against the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus, at a residential area near the Daegu branch of the Shincheonji Church of Jesus in Daegu on 27 February 2020 AFP via Getty Images The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea A South Korean army vehicle sprays disinfectant on a road to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 in Daegu, South Korea on Thursday 27 February 2020. AP The response to Coronavirus in Daegu South Korea Troops set up makeshift partitions and beds at the Armed Forces Hospital in Daegu South Korea 28 February 2020 EPA

At a political rally on Friday, Donald Trump referred to the crisis as a “hoax”, although he insisted at a White House news conference the following day that he was referring to alleged efforts by the Democrats to talk up the risk in order to discredit him. Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told reporters that he was not being muzzled following reports that the vice-president was controlling the flow of information to the public.

Asked by host Jake Tapper whether there could be more deaths from Covid-19, Mr Pence said: “It is possible.

“The reality that Dr Fauci and others explained to me since I took on these duties a few days ago is that for most people who contract the coronavirus, is that they will recover. They will deal with a respiratory illness, we will get them treatment.

“But for people that have other conditions, that would militate toward a worse outcome, that we could have more sad news.

“But the American people should know that the risk to the average American remains low.”

He also stressed that it was not necessary for people to go out and buy masks.

At the news conference on Saturday, Mr Pence announced a series of travel restrictions designed to contain the spread of the virus in the United States.

These include stronger advice not to travel to parts of Italy and South Korea which have seen outbreaks, and a ban on entry to the US to anyone who has visited Iran in the previous 14 days.

Donald Trump confirms first US coronavirus death

On Sunday morning, Mr Trump tweeted an additional measure, writing: “Coronavirus: In addition to screening travelers “prior to boarding” from certain designated high risk countries, or areas within those countries, they will also be screened when they arrive in America.”