Gov. Tony Evers announced he's directing the Wisconsin Department of Health Services to issue an order mandating statewide closure of all public and private schools due to COVID-19.

A spike in new cases of COVID-19 has Wisconsin health officials concerned the disease could be spreading without an indication of how they got it.

Not all public gatherings are being shut down in the wake of the governor's declaration of a public health emergency. In some places in Wisconsin, events and performances were continuing as scheduled.

With Gov. Tony Evers declaring a public health emergency due to COVID-19, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Secretary-designee Andrea Palm explains what it means, and discusses other preparations the state is making to test for the virus and prevent its further spread.