The president tried to frame this news as best he could, noting that the projections for US casualties if the government had done nothing were in the millions. Photo: Internet Source

There was just the cold, hard reality of the facts on the ground.

"I want every American to be prepared for the hard days that lie ahead," a grave-faced Donald Trump said in his Tuesday afternoon press conference.

"This is going to be a very, very painful two weeks."

How painful? When the president was asked how many Americans are currently projected to die from the virus given even the current mitigation efforts, he said it was better if his medical experts responded.

The number of deaths, based on current projections, is between 100,000 and 200,000. On 15 April, for instance, 2,214 Americans are expected to die.

"No-one is denying that we're going through a very, very difficult time," said Dr Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "That's what it is."

The president tried to frame this news as best he could, noting that the projections for US casualties if the government had done nothing were in the millions.

"A lot of people were saying think of it as the flu, but it's not the flu," he said. "It's vicious."