The World Health Organization has declared that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic. The assessment comes as Italy weighs even tighter restrictions on daily life and announced billions in financial relief to cushion economic shocks and authorites close schools in Seattle and ban large gatherings in San Francisco.

The AP plans the following coverage. For up-to-the minute information, visit AP Newsroom's coverage hub at https://newsroom.ap.org/page/Coronavirus

VIRUS OUTBREAK: The World Health Organization has declared that the global coronavirus crisis is now a pandemic. The assessment comes as Italy weighs even tighter restrictions on daily life and announced billions in financial relief to cushion economic shocks. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-US: Authorities are closing Seattle schools and banning large gatherings across the hard-hit metropolitan area and in San Francisco — including pro baseball and basketball games — in the most sweeping efforts yet to control the coronavirus outbreak in the U.S. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST: Latest developments on the global virus outbreak. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHAT'S HAPPENING: Chunky text look at biggest developments in virus outbreak. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MEDICAL SUPPLIES: President Donald Trump is expected to announce an executive order insisting on American-made medical supplies and pharmaceuticals in response to the coronavirus outbreak. SENT; developing.

ELECTION 2020-VIRUS OUTBREAK: The coronavirus threat to senior citizens is forcing counties to remove polling places from nursing homes for their safety. By Anisha Frizzell. SENT: 1100 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BUSINESS FALLOUT: Roundup of major economic developments globally. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LIVING ON SURFACES: Tests led by U.S. government scientists show that the new coronavirus can live in the air for several hours and on some surfaces for up to three days. By Marilyn Marchione. SENT: 360 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-SCHOOLS: Schools all over the United States are closing in response to the coronavirus. But experts disagree about whether it helps protect kids or the surrounding communities. By Lindsey Tanner. SENT: 780 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WASHINGTON: Congress is quickly unveiling a coronavirus aid package while President Donald Trump is considering a national disaster declaration and new travel advisories as Washington races to confront the outbreak. SENT: 1200 words, photos; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CORORATE DEBT BURDENS: Economic fallout from COVID-19 threatens companies that have piled on debts over the past decade. By Paul Wiseman, Bernard Condon and Cathy Bussewitz. SENT: 1000 words, photos.

FINANCIAL MARKETS: Stocks fell sharply on Wall Street, shaving 5.9% off the Dow Jones Industrial Average and bringing the index into a bear market. By Stan Choe, Damian B. Troise and Alex Veiega. SENT: 1350 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MIDEAST: Iran’s semiofficial Fars news agency is reporting the Islamic Republic’s senior vice president and two other Cabinet members have the new coronavirus. By Nasser Karimi and Amir Vahdat. SENT: 970 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LATIN AMERICA TESTED: Latin America is bracing for fallout from the coronavirus that could test the resilience of the beleaguered region’s already ailing economy. China, where the virus emerged, has been making inroads into Latin America over the last two decades. By Christine Armario and Marcos Pin Mendez. SENT: 1180 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-LATIN AMERICA TESTED: Latin America is bracing for fallout from the coronavirus that could test the resilience of the beleaguered region’s already ailing economy. By Christine Armario and Marcos Pin Méndez. SENT: 1,160 words, photos.

SPORTS-VIRUS OUTBREAK: Highlights of developments in sports related to the virus outbreak. SENT; developing.

ALSO:

VIRUS OUTBREAK-FLIGHTS: Federal regulators are temporarily waiving a rule that has been causing airlines to fly nearly empty planes to avoid losing precious takeoff and landing rights at major airports. SENT: 420 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-NATION'S CAPITOL: Washington, D.C., health officials have recommended that nonessential mass gatherings including conferences and conventions be postponed or canceled through the end of March in light of the coronavirus outbreak. SENT: 600 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ST. PATRICK'S DAY: Chicago has joined the ranks of cities around the world to scrap St. Patrick's Day parades over concerns about spreading the new coronavirus. SENT: 580 words, photos.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-BIOTECH CONFERENCE: A biotech meeting at a hotel in downtown Boston appears to be the source of a cluster of the coronavirus in the U.S. — and a warning for employers who are still holding big gatherings as the outbreak spreads. SENT: 750 words.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-MORMON CHURCH: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it will hold a major conference in April that features speeches by top leaders without any attendees because of the spread of the coronavirus. By Brady McCombs. SENT: 580 words, photos.

VIDEO:

Video edits have moved from the Vatican with the pope holding audience in library; Greece and Spain with school closures; briefing from China on latest numbers; feature from Milan on the effect of the virus on the economy; Cambodia where 64 people have been confined on a cruise boat; Turkey announcing its first case; markets in Asia; exteriors of the call centre in South Korea and disinfection continuing in that country; plane arriving in Taiwan with evacuees from Hubei; updates from the hotel in China, and video from Latin America including updates from Panama and briefings from the US on the spread and testing.

PHOTOS:

Photos have moved from South Korea, Philippines, Turkey, China, US, Latin America, Germany, Italy, Greece, Britain, Vatican, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia,

INTERACTIVES/GRAPHICS:

Coronavirus vs The Flu: Graphic compares causes, transmission, vaccines, infections and deaths between influenza and Covid-19

Virus State Map: State by state count of confirmed cases in the U.S. Data is updated using official daily end of day report by Johns Hopkins CSSE.

Virus Global Spread (table): Table of countries which have confirmed cases of the virus. Table also includes when the virus was initially reported and the number of deaths by country.

Virus Global Spread (Map): Map of countries which have confirmed cases of the virus. Map also includes when the virus was initially reported and the number of deaths by country.

Virus Cases Compared Inside and Outside of China (Chart): Chart shows the number of confirmed cases in China over time and compares them to cases confirmed outside of China.

Virus Spread In China (map): Map shows the number of cases reported within China by province. Province data shows province population, confirmed cases, deaths and recoveries.