I’ve always enjoyed looking at maps, and the COVID-19 pandemic is both a map lover’s dream and nightmare. It’s a dream because maps are the perfect tool for looking at COVID-19’s journey. However, it is a nightmare when you fill in what is not shown on the map: the human toll of death, tears, and devastation.

In a previous blog, I mentioned my go-to place for coronavirus information is the Johns Hopkins website. They have added more information, and I want to provide an overview of their site.

The World Map This is the landing page for the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard. The map is the center of the page. It is an interactive map, and clicking on an area will take you to more information. For instance, if I click on New York City, it tells me that at 2:20 PM Eastern there were 104,410 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 6,898 deaths. In Greenland, there were 11 cases with no reported deaths.

The left side of the page lists the total of confirmed cases in the world, which at 2:15 PM Eastern is 1,883,119. The United States heads the list with 568,176, followed by Spain with 169,496. China is seventh on the list with 83,213.

The right side of the page lists the total number of deaths, which is now 118,304. Italy appears to lead the list with 20,465. However, if you click on the U.S. on the left side, it shows that the number of deaths in the U.S. is 22,861. Underneath the death count, there are three graphs worth checking out.

The U.S. Map This page is laid out similarly to the world map. I did notice that those figures don’t seem to be updated as quickly as the world map, so you may see some small discrepancies.

Critical Trends I highly recommend checking out this feature offered by Johns Hopkins. It shows:

  • Where the COVID-19 cases are increasing
  • How the outbreak is growing in the 10 most affected countries
  • A country-by-country breakdown of mortality rate
  • The shape of the curve in the 10 most affected countries

More by Johns Hopkins There is more beyond maps and graphs on the Johns Hopkins website. Check out news and information, COVID-19 basics, and videos and live events. You can subscribe to daily updates of the Johns Hopkins e-newsletter by clicking here.  

Looking at maps helps us understand trends and what we might see in the future during this pandemic. A caveat: When looking at information, remember that information represents people, their lives, their loved ones, their stories, and the marks they made in the world. And remember that you are part of that story. What you do and how you move in this world is captured on that map. #StayHome #StaySafe

If you want to read more about COVID-19 or other health-related issues, I am also blogging at LucindaPorterRN.com.