Reuters Health News Roundup: U.S. suspends travel from Europe; World Health Organization calls coronavirus outbreak 'pandemic' and more

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Coronavirus probe at California nursing home slowed by shortage of test kits

A shortage of coronavirus testing kits is complicating efforts by California health officials to monitor a potential outbreak of the disease a the nursing home where an elderly woman died from the infectious disease this week, authorities said on Wednesday. The difficulties come as regulatory hurdles at the federal and state level, as well as logistical and technical challenges, have slowed the rollout of testing kits across the United States, according to healthcare providers, public health officials, and test makers.

U.S. suspends travel from Europe as coronavirus forces Italy to tighten lockdown

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States will suspend all passenger travel from continental Europe on Friday to limit the spread of the coronavirus after the outbreak was formally declared a pandemic, sending global markets into a tailspin. Trump announced the travel ban on live television along with emergency funds to boost the U.S. economy, saying: "This is not a financial crisis. This is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world."

UK to introduce more stringent measures to tackle coronavirus outbreak

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair an emergency meeting on Thursday at which he is expected to approve moving to the "delay phase" of the coronavirus response that includes more stringent measures to counter the outbreak. Johnson will chair a meeting of Britain's emergency committee - known as COBR - on Thursday at around 1315 GMT.

World Health Organization calls coronavirus outbreak 'pandemic' for first time

The World Health Organization described the new coronavirus as a pandemic for the first time on Wednesday, adding that Italy and Iran were now on the frontline of the disease and other countries would soon join them. "We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction. We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterized as a pandemic," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a news conference on Wednesday.

Trump curbs travel from Europe as coronavirus disrupts schools, sports

President Donald Trump on Wednesday ordered travel from Europe to the United States restricted for 30 days, responding to mounting pressure to take action against a rapidly spreading coronavirus outbreak disrupting nearly all corners of U.S. daily life. Trump, whose administration has come under sharp criticism for its response to a public health crisis that he has previously downplayed, also announced several steps aimed at blunting economic fallout posed by a coronavirus.

In dramatic step, Trump restricts travel from Europe to US to fight coronavirus

President Donald Trump on Wednesday imposed sweeping restrictions to prevent people from 26 European countries from traveling to the United States for a month as he responded to mounting pressure to take action against the spread of the coronavirus. The president took the dramatic step in a somber Oval Office speech as he battled to address the health and economic shocks to Americans from the sometimes fatal virus and responded to criticism he has not taken the threat seriously enough.

U.S. House Democrats unveil new coronavirus response bill

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled late on Wednesday legislation to give aid to individuals and families affected by the coronavirus outbreak. House Democratic leaders intend to hold a debate and vote on the measure as early as Thursday. It includes additional funding for food and nutrition programs, expanded unemployment insurance and paid sick days for workers, according to the bill's text.

U.S. states struggle to expand coronavirus testing despite federal push

New York and Washington, the U.S. states hit the hardest by the coronavirus outbreak, are struggling to make testing for the virus widely available, with local officials estimating it could take weeks more to reach peak testing capacity. While 1,039 people have been confirmed to have the virus in the United States - and 29 have died - according to data from Johns Hopkins University, experts estimate the real number of cases may be far greater.

Tom Hanks, wife Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus in Australia

Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson, have both tested positive for coronavirus in Australia, the actor said on Twitter. Hanks said that he and Wilson, who are both 63, were tested in Australia, where he is working on a film after they felt tired and achy with slight fevers.

China's coronavirus epicenter sees single-digit cases for first time

China had eight new coronavirus infections in Hubei province, the first time the epicenter of the pandemic recorded a daily tally in single-digits, as more businesses reopened with local authorities cautiously easing strict containment measures. The capital of Hubei, Wuhan, reported all of the new cases on Wednesday, the National Health Commission said on Thursday.