The United States has more than 200,000 cases of coronavirus. And carriers who don't feel sick are driving the spread

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How much will you receive for unemployment insurance in the US? 3:08

(CNN) - The number of coronavirus cases in the US It increased by more than 14,000 in just a few hours on Wednesday when the number of deaths exceeded 4,400.

Since Wednesday afternoon, more than 203,000 people in the United States have been infected and at least 4,473 have died.

Now, more data reveals that symptom-free people are driving the spread, prompting senior officials to reconsider whether the general public should wear masks.

New data from Iceland shows that 50% of people who tested positive said they were asymptomatic.

In the United States, an estimated 25% of coronavirus carriers have no symptoms, according to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

"The information we have now confirmed is that a significant number of infected people actually remain asymptomatic. That can be up to 25%, ”CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield told NPR.

To prevent further spread, America's leading infectious disease expert He says health officials are reconsidering the guidance on facial masks.

Dr. Anthony Fauci said he "would lean toward" recommending that the general public wear face masks "if we don't have the problem of removing the masks from healthcare workers who need them."

"We are not there yet, but I think we are close to reaching a certain determination," Fauci said.

If federal officials recommend the widespread use of face masks, it would be a radical departure from the recommendations of the World Health Organization and the CDC, which have said that face masks should only be worn by healthcare workers, those who they are sick and those who are caring for someone sick.

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"There is no specific evidence to suggest that the use of masks by the bulk of the population has any potential benefit," said Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's health emergency program, on Monday.

"In fact, there is some evidence to suggest otherwise in misuse of putting on a mask correctly or fitting it correctly."

3 tips to use a mask well

American surgeon Dr. Jerome Adams has always advised the public not to wear masks, claiming that they can cause more harm than good.

But this week, following new information on the asymptomatic spread of the virus, that public guideline could change, according to Adams. He then offered several tips on how to use the masks correctly.

“If you are going to wear a face covering, try not to touch your face. Be very careful to make sure you don't touch your face, "Adams told NBC's" Today "show on Wednesday.

Adams has said that people often touch their faces to adjust the masks, increasing the risk of infection.

"No. 2: If you are going to wear a face cover, save the N95 masks for healthcare workers who need them, "said Adams. N95 respirators must be properly adjusted to ensure that there is no open space and improperly used by people without medical training.

"No. 3: Using a face covering does not mean that you do not have to practice social distancing, ”he said.

"The most important thing you can do right now is stay home. We don't want people to feel like 'OK, I'm covering my face, so now it's okay to come out.' ”

An important argument against the widespread use of masks is that health workers do not have enough.

"We have a massive global shortage," said Ryan. “Right now, the people most at risk of contracting this virus are front-line health workers who are exposed to the virus every second every day. The idea that they don't have masks is horrible. ”

In many cities, doctors and nurses become sick or die of coronavirus. This is doubly tragic because fewer healthcare workers can care for people.

That being the case, some people are making their own masks. JOANN Fabrics and Craft Stores released a video tutorial on how to make face masks.

The top of the coronavirus pandemic is yet to come

White House officials predict that more than 100,000 people could die from coronavirus, and that if the public perfectly practices the guidelines of social distancing.

In mid-April, when the virus is projected to hit the country hardest, up to 2,000 Americans could die each day, according to a model cited by the White House.

Health officials indicate that measures working to stem the spread of the virus are the only hope for keeping the death toll in the thousands rather than the millions.

If Americans do not follow social distancing guidelines, at worst, as many as 2.2 million people could die, said Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator.

More than two dozen states have issued stay-at-home orders, and the federal government extended the guidelines for social distancing until April 30.

Birx says there is no easy way to fix the coronavirus pandemic. It is up to the public to help stop the spread.

"There is no magic bullet," he noted. “There is no vaccine or magic therapy. They are just behaviors. Each of our behaviors translates into something that changes the course of this viral pandemic in the next 30 days. "

Evidence shows that social distancing helps

About 80% of the US population He is now under orders to stay home, according to a CNN count based on various state, county and city orders.

Some say that's not enough and are calling for a national shelter order in place, especially since the deadly virus is twice as contagious as the flu.

But on Wednesday, Vice President Mike Pence said he does not believe a national order is necessary.

"It has been inspiring that in the past 15 days, people in states that have low penetration of the coronavirus outbreak still implement the guidelines for the entire nation," he said.

Health officials point out that social distancing efforts appear to be paying off, including in King County, Washington state, the country's first coronavirus epicenter.

• MORE: The WHO reiterates that you should not wear masks if you are not sick or if you do not care for someone who is

"We are seeing reductions in person-to-person contact, which has progressively improved and brought us to a point where we are having a very positive impact," said Dr. Jeff Duchin, Seattle public health officer and the King County.

In New York, a CNN analysis shows that the daily average increase in cases in the last week was 17%, a significant decrease compared to 58% for the previous seven-day period.

A large-scale study found that early interventions, such as social distancing and severe restrictions on the movement of people, have saved tens of thousands of lives across Europe.

Scientists at Imperial College London studied interventions in 11 European countries and concluded that "together they had a substantial impact on transmission."

The researchers estimate that as of March 31, "interventions in the 11 countries prevented 59,000 deaths."

CNN's Jacqueline Howard, Allie Malloy, Joe Sutton, Dave Alsup and Jason Hoffman contributed to this report.

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