Coronavirus Dispatches
Our journalists are documenting communities around the world battling the pandemic.
- Moscow,
- Russia
Surreal scenes inside Russia’s battle against the pandemic
Patients continue to fill hospitals as rumors and cynicism spread about a vaccine.
- Tegucigalpa,
- Honduras
The spectacular tale of a stranded circus—and its great escape from Honduras
Decades of daring feats couldn’t prepare the Segovia Brothers Circus for the most challenging obstacle yet: the coronavirus lockdown.
- England,
- United Kingdom
In the U.K., families of the dead still wonder: was it COVID-19?
The United Kingdom's death toll is now Europe's highest, and shifting diagnoses leave loved ones without answers.
- Bambang,
- Philippines
How a single doctor fights to keep COVID-19 from reaching his rural town
Anthony Cortez protects the 56,000 residents of Bambang, Philippines, through contact tracing, quarantine—and gossip
- New York City,
- United States
Meet NYC’s 2020 graduates—from aspiring actors to first-generation 'Dreamers'
A kindergartener missing his teacher. A med student graduating early to fight COVID-19. These grads are emerging into an uncertain world.
- New Orleans,
- United States
'It’s in the genes': New Orleans culture marches on despite the pandemic
In a city forged by challenges, musicians, chefs, and performers have found new ways to persevere.
- Orbey,
- France
When France locked down, this doctor became a lifeline for her rural community
In Haute-Alsace, where hospitals are scarce, Dr. Dominique Spihlmann is the first responder for an isolated community of 10,000.
- Bangkok,
- Thailand
A look inside Thailand, which prevented coronavirus from gaining a foothold
Expecting the worst, a photographer set out to document the pandemic in Bangkok. He was surprised by what he found.
- Nairobi,
- Kenya
In this sprawling city within a city, fighting coronavirus requires solidarity
The pandemic is another obstacle the community must tackle together in Kibera, one of the largest informal urban settlements in Kenya.
- New York City,
- United States
Systemic racism and coronavirus are killing people of color. Protesting isn't enough
After the protests end and the pandemic passes, will anything change for America's communities of color?
- Lombardy,
- Italy
These undertakers served on the coronavirus frontlines—now they're struggling
Italy's funeral home workers are haunted by what they saw in the pandemic's epicenter.
- India
Millions of women volunteers form India's frontline COVID response
Low-paid and often working without proper protection, these women are fighting to be recognized.
- India
‘They treat us like stray dogs’: Migrant workers flee India’s cities
The coronavirus pandemic has left many of India’s poor without jobs, food, or a way to get home.
- Grand Island,
- Nebraska
Football and the factory line: Living at risk in a heartland hot zone
“While the model of social distancing may work for many cities, it doesn’t really work in ours.” In Grand Island, Nebraska, a way of life is under threat.
- Baltimore,
- United States
‘I feel defeated’: A nurse details the unrelenting pressures of the frontlines
As coronavirus cases in Maryland increase, photographer and nurse Rosem Morton shares her frustrations, fears, and coping strategies.
- Jakarta,
- Indonesia
Indonesia’s government was slow to lock down, so its people took charge
Local quarantines have sprung up throughout the world’s largest island nation, but the end of Ramadan poses a severe test.
- Bogotá,
- Colombia
Fear, anger, desperation: How Bogotá's residents are coping with COVID-19
The lockdown in Colombia’s capital lowers infection rates, but tensions are high, and many in the city are struggling to put food on the table.
- Gothenburg,
- Sweden
Sweden still hasn't locked down. But normal life is a luxury for only a few
Life under Sweden's no-lockdown experiment depends on which side of this city you live.
- São Paulo,
- Brazil
Brazil’s vulnerable domestic workers cannot afford to get sick
Millions of domestic workers care for families across Latin America. But who will care for them during the pandemic?
- Mulhouse,
- France
France’s paramedics and undertakers have a new role: helping families say goodbye
In Mulhouse, the country's first COVID-19 epicenter, responders on the frontlines are now the final connection between relatives and coronavirus victims.
- São Paulo,
- Brazil
Living inside Brazil’s largest apartment complex amid a pandemic
As the Brazilian president denies the death toll from COVID-19, the Copan building has taken its own measures to halt the crisis.
- Nairobi,
- Kenya
In Nairobi, quarantine is a luxury few can afford
As COVID-19 takes hold in Kenya’s capital, hundreds of thousands living in cramped informal settlements are especially vulnerable.
- Los Angeles,
- United States
Residents of L.A.’s ‘Skid Row’ seek hope as coronavirus worsens
Many of the roughly 5,000 people in this tight-knit community are homeless. With the first COVID-19 cases now reported, is the city ready for what may come?
- Baltimore,
- United States
A Baltimore nurse chronicles how she's bracing for the surge
Nurse and photographer Rosem Morton documents life on the frontlines of the fight against COVID-19.
- Paris,
- France
‘It’s eerie’: Capturing the emptiness of Paris, a city under lockdown
As spring blooms, some of the most famous landmarks in the City of Lights are off-limits.
- South Georgia Island
‘You are the only passenger’: How I returned to an empty world
Follow a photographer’s journey from a remote island in the South Atlantic to a world paused by pandemic.
- Milan,
- Italy
Lonely residents grapple with life indoors as coronavirus shuts Italy down
A writer and photographer in Milan have been documenting the pandemic's spread. Now one of them may be sick.
- Tehran,
- Iran
‘It was like a scary movie.’ Coronavirus has forced Iran to take a hard pause
A father’s memorial, a building-wide singalong, a phone call with a stranger. A photographer documents the strange, suspended state of life in the country.
- Yongkang,
- China
China's 'hardware capital' grinds to a halt amid coronavirus fears
Makeshift barricades and a migrant worker shortage have upended life and industry in Yongkang, one of China's biggest manufacturing hubs.
Go Further
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- Oil company accused of ignoring community concerns about water, wildlifeOil company accused of ignoring community concerns about water, wildlife
- Idaho law aims to kill up to 90 percent of state’s wolvesIdaho law aims to kill up to 90 percent of state’s wolves
Environment
- The Great Plains prairie needs fire to survive. These ranchers are bringing it back.The Great Plains prairie needs fire to survive. These ranchers are bringing it back.
- How tiny Monaco became a giant in ocean conservationHow tiny Monaco became a giant in ocean conservation
- Meat production leads to thousands of air quality-related deaths annuallyMeat production leads to thousands of air quality-related deaths annually
- ‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops‘Megadrought’ persists in western U.S., as another extremely dry year develops
- Antarctica’s ice could cross this scary threshold within 40 yearsAntarctica’s ice could cross this scary threshold within 40 years
- The controversial future of nuclear power in the U.S.The controversial future of nuclear power in the U.S.
- Did the Amazon rainforest contribute to the ‘Little Ice Age’ of the 1600s?Did the Amazon rainforest contribute to the ‘Little Ice Age’ of the 1600s?
- Plastic gets to the oceans through over 1,000 riversPlastic gets to the oceans through over 1,000 rivers
- Why planting wildflowers makes a difference
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History & Culture
- This Chinese monk's epic, east-to-west travels rival Marco Polo'sThis Chinese monk's epic, east-to-west travels rival Marco Polo's
- Medieval elites used handwashing as a shrewd ‘power play.’ Here’s how.Medieval elites used handwashing as a shrewd ‘power play.’ Here’s how.
- The bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the WestThe bloody history of anti-Asian violence in the West
- Survivors recall the terror of the first F5 tornadoSurvivors recall the terror of the first F5 tornado
- How were China's legions of terra-cotta warriors made? Experts have pieced it together.How were China's legions of terra-cotta warriors made? Experts have pieced it together.
Science
- China is about to try a high-stakes landing on MarsChina is about to try a high-stakes landing on Mars
- CDC: Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoorsCDC: Fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks indoors
- Why vaccine side effects really happen, and when you should worryWhy vaccine side effects really happen, and when you should worry
- The Himalaya mountains are ‘breathing,’ geologists sayThe Himalaya mountains are ‘breathing,’ geologists say
- Does drinking water reduce side effects after a COVID-19 shot?Does drinking water reduce side effects after a COVID-19 shot?
- FDA clears the way for adolescents to get vaccinatedFDA clears the way for adolescents to get vaccinated
Travel
- The Great Loop is the epic U.S. adventure you’ve never heard ofThe Great Loop is the epic U.S. adventure you’ve never heard of
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- Hiking a desert park? Here’s how to help preserve the landscapeHiking a desert park? Here’s how to help preserve the landscape
- What does a COVID-19 outbreak mean for life at Everest’s base camp?What does a COVID-19 outbreak mean for life at Everest’s base camp?