March 19, 2020 / Lisette VoytkoForbes Staff
Topline: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. continues to grow, jumping over 40% to more than 9,400 as of Thursday morning, as officials prepare for a range of forecasts in the number of people who could possibly need medical attention as a result of the virus.
As of Wednesday morning there were more than 6,500 cases in the U.S., according to data from Johns Hopkins University; as of Thursday morning, over 9,400 cases were reported, an increase of over 40%. 
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House’s coronavirus response coordinator, had warned Wednesday that the number of confirmed cases would increase as more tests were performed.
CNN reported Thursday that it had obtained a 100-page federal government report that said officials are preparing for the pandemic to last 18 months or longer and cause “multiple waves of illness.”
According to a Friday New York Times report, the Centers for Disease Control created four forecasts of how the virus could impact the American healthcare system, with one forecast showing as many as 21 million people possibly needing hospitalization.