At least 20 million Americans may have had COVID-19, according to a new CDC estimate cited by NBC News.
The estimate is based on an analysis of blood samples from patients nationwide. Researchers found that for every confirmed case, there were 10 more people with COVID-19 antibodies who were never diagnosed.
"Our best estimate right now is that for every case that's reported, there actually are 10 other infections," CDC Director Robert Redfield, MD, said during a June 25 call with reporters, according to NBC News.
The U.S. has reported more than 2.3 million confirmed COVID-19 cases as of June 25. Based on the CDC's estimate, the actual number of cases could be as high as 23 million. That figure equates to about 6.9 percent of the U.S. population.