Good morning! STAT reporter Andrew Joseph here. You can reach me at andrew.joseph@statnews.com.

The latest on Covid-19

The WHO on Wednesday said the spread of the coronavirus amounted to a pandemic, but stressed that such an acknowledgement should not change the ongoing efforts to combat it. President Trump said the U.S. was suspending most travel from Europe, a move that health experts said was targeting the wrong problem given that the virus is circulating in the U.S. And the CDC increased its travel warnings for around the world.

Here's what else is happening with the outbreak:

• On the Hill: The CDC director said the agency was developing special blood tests that could reveal how widely the virus had spread even if cases went undetected. Meanwhile, the nation's top infectious disease expert suggested canceling large events.  
• Sports and entertainment: The NBA suspended its season, the NCAA said March Madness will go on without most fans, and Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson have Covid-19.
• In Seattle: Public schools will be closed for two weeks. 

More: We have new stories today on the anxiety caused by the pandemic and advice for protecting older people.