Washington, April 2 (RHC)-- The coronavirus pandemic continues its relentless expansion in almost every corner of the globe, with the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide rapidly approaching one million people -- although the true number is certain to be far higher due to a critical lack of testing. 

The largest number of confirmed cases is in the United States, where coronavirus deaths have topped 5,000. Managers of the Strategic National Stockpile warn emergency supplies of medical equipment, including life-saving ventilators, are all but exhausted.

The Intercept reports that even as the pandemic reached U.S. soil and began to spread, the Donald Trump administration allowed a steady flow of ventilators and personal protective equipment supplies to be sent abroad, with a shipment as recently as March 17th.

Meanwhile, all but the sickest patients and the wealthiest Americans continue to struggle to learn their COVID-19 status.  One New Jersey lab, Quest Diagnostics, reported a backlog of about 160,000 COVID-19 tests, delaying some results by as much as 10 days.