Virus Outbreak, ADVISORY

The death toll in Italy has overtaken China’s, a stark illustration of how the coronavirus pandemic has pivoted toward Europe and the United States. Italy now has 3,405 registered deaths, roughly 150 more than China — a country with a population more than 20 times larger. The milestone came the same day that the Chinese city where the virus first emerged recorded no new infections, a sign that China’s draconian lockdowns were a powerful method to stop the virus' spread. A visiting Chinese Red Cross team has criticized Italians' failure to properly quarantine themselves, and and take the national lockdown seriously.

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 Find AP Virus Alerts here

VIRUS OUTBREAK: The death toll in Italy has overtaken China’s, a stark illustration of how the coronavirus pandemic has pivoted toward Europe and the United States. SENT; developing. WITH VIRUS OUTBREAK-THE LATEST; VIRUS OUTBREAK-WHAT'S HAPPENING

FINANCIAL MARKETS: Stocks are closing with solid gains on Wall Street Thursday after shaking off a rocky start. SENT; developing. With FINANCIAL MARKETS-THE LATEST; VIRUS OUTBREAK-BUSINESS FALLOUT

UNITED STATES-TRAVEL: The Trump administration has upgraded its already dire warning to Americans against all international travel as the coronavirus outbreak spreads. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CONGRESS: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is poised to unveil a sweeping coronavirus response plan. Congress is working urgently to fashion a $1 trillion measure to prop up households and the U.S. economy amid the outbreak. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-WASHINGTON: Big strings may come attached to federal bailouts for companies struggling in the coronavirus pandemic. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-GOVERNORS: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan says governors are asking for more federal funding to the states and increased access to test kits and ventilators to fight the coronavirus. The governor chairs the National Governors Association. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-TREATMENTS: President Donald Trump is focusing attention on possible treatments for the new coronavirus. At a White House news conference on Thursday, Trump and other officials cited a long-used malaria drug called chloroquine along with remdesivir, an experimental antiviral currently in testing and possibly using plasma from people who have survived infection with the new virus. SENT; developing.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the world “is at war with a virus” and warned that “a global recession — perhaps of record dimensions — is a near certainty.” SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-AFRICA: More African countries have closed their borders as the coronavirus’ local spread threatens to turn the continent of 1.3 billion people into an alarming new front for the pandemic. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CLEANING WORKERS: Cleaning workers are often the first line of defense against the global COVID-19 pandemic, cleaning and disinfecting homes, medical facilities and public spaces where the novel coronavirus could spread. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-VETERANS AFFAIRS: The Department of Veterans Affairs is rapidly preparing for the possibility it may have to absorb overflow civilian patients if private hospitals are overrun by the coronavirus pandemic. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-EUROPE FAKE NEWS: European Union experts say Russian state media and pro-Kremlin news outlets are waging a fake news campaign to undermine public confidence that Europe's health care systems can cope with the coronavirus. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-DRIVE-THRU TESTING: Houston residents are waiting in a line of cars more than a mile long line as drive-thru testing for the new coronavirus begins in the city. The mayor and county officials on Thursday warned that there aren't enough kits or protective gear to meet demand. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE: The Trump administration is seeking $3 billion from Congress to top up the country’s strategic petroleum reserves, potentially propping up U.S. oil producers after crude prices crashed globally. SENT.

ALSO:

SPACE STATION: A NASA astronaut who's about to leave the planet for six months will blast off without any family or fanfare because of the coronavirus. Chris Cassidy said Thursday that he won't have any guests at his April 9 launch from Kazakhstan. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-CANNES-FILM FESTIVAL: France's Cannes Film Festival, arguably the world’s most prestigious film festival and cinema’s largest annual gathering, has postponed its 73rd edition. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-STREAMING: Sports are on hold, movie theaters are closed and so are amusement parks. But Americans held captive at home by the coronavirus can turn to Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and other streaming services, outliers in an entertainment industry otherwise brought to an unprecedented standstill. SENT.

VIRUS OUTBREAK-ONE GOOD THING-EUROPEAN CAREGIVERS: At a time of isolation, people in many European cities hit hard by the new coronavirus are taking at least a minute each night to come together in gratitude. SENT.

PHOTOS:

AP photos have moved from Spain, Venezuela, Ecuador, Mexico, New York, Florida, Tennessee, California, Mississippi, and Illinois.

VIDEO:

AP video has moved from Spain, Turkey, France, Italy, London, Washington, Washington, D.C., New York, Florida, California and Texas.