The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Thursday reported that at least 23 million Americans have been infected with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), more than 10 times higher than the 2.4 million cases reported so far.

"Our best estimate right now is that for every case that's reported, there actually are 10 other infections," CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield said in a report from the NBC News.

Redfield believed that 5 to 8 percent of the population has been infected so far, which means 92 to 95 percent of the population remain at risk to a coronavirus infection.

This data was interpreted by experts as critical, showing that the pandemic remains in its early stages. The assessment was based on antibody testing that examines a person's blood for the presence of antibodies, which indicate that a person's immune system has previously fought off the virus.

In a report from TIME, it said that people show signs of antibodies whether they developed coronavirus symptoms or not.

Previously, infectious-disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci and CDC officials noted that as many as 25 percent of infections may be asymptomatic.

"This virus causes so much asymptomatic infection," Redfield said. "The traditional approach of looking for symptomatic illness and diagnosing it obviously underestimates the total amount of infections."

Redfield noted that since younger people were likely not diagnosed in the past, they are less likely to experience the severe symptoms that bring their case to the attention of the healthcare system.

There is a higher number of infections and recoveries than what was previously believed, as testing is becoming widely available in the community.

The CDC has recently expanded its list of groups at risk for COVID-19 complications, removing the age cutoff of 65.

"A person's risk increases with age, but that doesn't preclude younger adults from complications," COVID-19 response head Dr. Jay Butler said.

Spikes in coronavirus cases

The new estimates came as many states, particularly in the Southeast and Western U.S., experienced a continued surge in coronavirus cases among young adults in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.

Alabama, Nevada, and Missouri reported single-day record for new coronavirus cases, a day after health officials reported a single-day high of 38,173 cases in the U.S., as reported by Seattle Times.

Texas governor Greg Abbott announced that the state will pause reopening to prevent the spread of the disease. He noted that he would focus on strategies that will slow the spread of the virus, "while also allowing Texans to continue earning a paycheck to support their families".

Administration seeks scientific experts to reduce public anxiety

Amid the increase in cases, the Trump administration looked of getting their scientific experts visible to the public to reduce "anxieties" in connection with the pandemic.

Officials claimed that while there have been significant increase, the administration have the outbreaks well in hand, according to a report from AP. They maintained that the nation is in a markedly different place now, noting that testing infrastructure is strong than in mid-April.

The panel's public health experts have been less visible to the public since mid-May, when the government stressed the importance of the economy getting back on track.