WASHINGTON, March 12 (Reuters) - The top U.S. official on infectious diseases, Anthony Fauci, said on Thursday that people cannot get tests for the deadly coronavirus easily and the U.S. testing system is not meeting the country's needs.

"The system is not really geared to what we need right now... That is a failing. Let's admit it," Fauci said. "The idea of anybody getting it easily the way people in other countries are doing it, we're not set up for that. Do I think we should be? Yes. But we're not." (Reporting by Michael Erman; Writing by Lisa Lambert)