Latest on the coronavirus: Experts say virus could kill up to 240,000 Americans

As the number of coronavirus deaths continues to surge in the U.S., officials are warning the disease could kill between 100,000 and 240,000 Americans, even if people continue to stay home and limit their contact with others.

Experts made the prediction at a March 31 media briefing with President Donald Trump. But they said they hope the figure won't soar that high if everyone does their part to prevent the virus from spreading.

"I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead," said Trump, who also extended social distancing guidelines until April 30. "We're going to go through a very tough two weeks."

The U.S. recorded a big daily jump of 26,000 new cases, bringing the total to more than 189,000. The death toll leaped to over 4,000, including more than 1,000 in New York City.

Meanwhile, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on March 31 called the COVID-19 virus the "most challenging crisis" humanity has faced since World War II.

Guterres launched a new plan to counter the socio-economic effects of the coronavirus pandemic and called for the world to "act together to lessen the blow to people".

He said the virus represents stress for everybody in the world and has economic effects that would bring "a recession that probably has no parallel in the recent past."

Deaths and infections

The number of coronavirus cases worldwide reached 860,181 on April 1, according to data compiled by U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

The virus, also known as COVID-19, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions around the globe, with over 42,345 deaths worldwide.     

Nevertheless, the total number of people recovered from...