One of California's leading infectious disease experts this week said the discovery that the country's first deaths from coronavirus occurred weeks earlier than originally believed suggests the disease that has killed nearly 47,000 people in the U.S. could linger for a long time.

“Let’s assume 5 percent of the population has been infected and let’s assume they’re immune,’’ John Swartzberg, a clinical professor emeritus at the University of California, Berkeley and an infectious disease expert, told USA Today. “It tells us 95 percent of the population is still susceptible to this virus, and that tells us that it’s going to be around a long time.’’

Swartzberg added that while antibody testing is making progress, it isn't widespread yet, which could further elongate the effects of the pandemic.

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Stanford University and the University of Southern California both recently conducted studies in Santa Clara and Los Angeles, respectively, that utilized antibody testing. Results showed there to be 28 to 80 times more cases than cases that have been officially confirmed, though both studies have been heavily criticized for their methodology.

Gov. Gavin Newsom Gavin NewsomTrump dismisses climate change role in fires, says Newsom needs to manage forest better Evacuations ordered in California desert communities as wildfires burn Wildfire lectures from America's instructor-in-chief MORE (D) has said that while the state's virus numbers have been improving, it has yet to meet the six guidelines that he has set as a benchmark for reopening the state's economy.

Newsom called the discovery of the new COVID-19 deaths "important forensic information" and has ordered medical examiners and coroners across the state to review autopsies dating back to December to “help guide a deeper understanding of when this pandemic really started to impact Californians.”

As of Thursday morning, California has 37,573 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,425 related deaths, according to data compiled by The New York Times.