Federal officials are beefing up security for Dr. Anthony Fauci after he received multiple threats and encounters with admirers.

Fauci, who is now at 79, is a key member of the White House coronavirus task force. He appears on televised briefings and news shows daily. He is known for putting his utmost focus and effort on the job he has chosen.

In an interview on Thursday, Dr. Fauci, who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease (NIAID) since 1984, said his enhanced security detail was due to a few "uncomfortable personal encounters" and online threats he received in recent weeks.

The increase in security was requested by the Department of Health and Human Services who asked US Marshals to deputize a group of agents to handle the doctor's protection.

Authorities refuse to reveal the nature of the encounters and threats. They also declined to provide information on the extent of physical protection the doctor will receive.

An anonymous source who is allegedly familiar with the arrangements said the Justice Department allowed nine special agents to join Fauci's security team.

The US President Donald Trump and Dr. Anthony Fauci are known to occasionally butt heads about COVID-19 and the nation's efforts to curb the virus. Fauci, however, said he and Trump work well together despite disagreeing on some things.

Dr. Fauci also spoke of the great pressure he feels as a part of the government's coronavirus response team, saying "it would be foolish to deny that."

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Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the virus response, revealed a recent projection on Tuesday, saying that with preventive measures the United States could face between 100,000 to 240,000 coronavirus deaths---a far cry from the predicted 1.5 to 2.2 million deaths should serious mitigations be ignored.

Fauci did emphasize that the model shows the worst-case scenario, with the reality usually somewhere in between. He also added the United States could see millions of cases.

The NIAID director, along with other health experts, said COVID-19 will get worse before recovery happens.

The recent surge in coronavirus cases drew concern from health care professionals as they fear running out of necessary medical equipment to treat COVID-19 patients---supplies which are now vanishing fast.

The rapid spread of the virus put the country's health system at a tipping point. Numerous hospitals across the nation are expecting to run out of beds within two weeks should the number of cases continue its drastic surge.

Apart from a shortage of medical supplies, various states are also reporting a shortage of trained respiratory therapists to operate ventilators which are critical to the survival rate of a coronavirus patient in serious conditions.

Various medical professionals are also reporting a possible shortage of drugs needed to sedate patients who require intubation as part of their treatment.

Dr. Michael Ganio, a senior director at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists said there is a nationwide demand for COVID-19 drugs.

"Do we have the drug supply to match it? Right now, the answer appears to be no."