The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's novel coronavirus test kits have been plagued with problems, not only with supply, but also because the first batch sent to state and local health departments was faulty.

The test kits had to be recalled because one of the re-agents didn't work properly. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration later found a workaround with the CDC-developed test kits, and authorized them to be used to test people with suspected COVID-19 cases.

[Coronavirus outbreak: Is Michigan prepared?]

So far, only eight people in Michigan have been tested for COVID-19. Five samples were sent to the CDC labs for testing, and three have been processed by the state health department labs. The most recent was conducted Wednesday. All the test results were negative.

As of Wednesday, Michigan had 130 available test kits for the entire state, though state health officials have requested more. Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive for Michigan's Department of Health and Human Services, said she expects to receive them "any day now."

How bad is COVID-19?

COVID-19, the disease caused by this novel coronavirus, is a public health threat because it’s spreading so quickly around the world, and it is more deadly than influenza and other common viruses.

Globally, 3.4% of people with COVID-19 have died, said the World Health Organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a news briefing Tuesday (March 3). That compares to far fewer than 1% who die from the flu.

In addition to the higher fatality rate, there is no treatment or vaccine available yet for COVID-19. Comparatively, people can get the flu vaccine, and if they are infected with the virus, can be prescribed an anti-viral medication to limit its severity.

And while most people who contract COVID-19 have mild symptoms, 1 in 6 people who have the virus develop serious illness, and have difficulty breathing, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Those most at risk are older people and those with chronic health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, suppressed immune systems and lung conditions.