With diagnosed COVID-19 cases passing 1 million worldwide and communities around the globe on lockdown, the coronavirus pandemic has claimed a place as one of the most serious public health crises in living memory, an emergency that pandemic expert Eric Toner says is "unlike anything we've seen before." Toner, of Johns Hopkins University, sat down with CNET's Claire Reilly to shed light on the scale of what the world is facing.

More than 54,000 people have died from COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).The US has the highest number of cases, outstripping China, where the virus originated, as well as secondary outbreak zones in Italy and Spain.

The current global count: more than 1 million infections.Many countries failed to adequately prepare, according to Toner: "We in the US can't claim to be surprised."Unprecedented danger calls for unprecedented measures: "This is unlike anything we've seen before," Toner says.

Pandemic expert: The US can't claim to be surprised by...

Three months later, the coronavirus has brought the world to its knees, shutting down entire countries and causing an exponential spike in disease and death.

He's worked with governments and public health officials during many epidemics and disasters, and he says the coronavirus is unique. .

We in the US can't claim to be surprised; we have seen this coming for months now.".

Now that more than 5,000 Americans have died, and experts say the country could expect to see 100,000 to 200,000 or more deaths in the coming months, Toner says he's "scared.".

"The current coronavirus pandemic is worse than many that we have anticipated in the past ...

Now Toner says governments around the world should've heeded those early warning signs. .

According to Toner, roughly 10% to 15% of the global population is infected with influenza every year.

"Even if the case fatality rate -- the number of people who are sick and who end up dying -- is on the low end of half a percent, that would mean millions and millions of deaths," Toner says.

Researchers and biotech firms are moving at an unprecedented pace to develop vaccines against the coronavirus, using the virus' genetic code to try to stimulate an immune response in uninfected patients

Fighting coronavirus: COVID-19 tests, vaccine research, masks, ventilators and more29 Photos

Until we have treatments for the disease (which could take three to six months) or a vaccine (which could take one to two years) the solution to fighting this pandemic is decidedly lo-fi: Stay at home