Mapping the Covid-19 spread in Brazilian favelas

The number of Covid-19 infections and deaths is set to spike in Brazil, with 38,654 confirmed cases as of April 19. Experts worry that Brazil’s favelas — poorly-urbanized neighborhoods on the margins of city centers — could become focal points for the disease, with precarious living conditions and high population density making social distancing a near-impossibility.

The Marielle Franco Institute — an NGO created in honor of the late Rio de Janeiro city councilor and activist, assassinated in March 2018 — launched a national map to track local initiatives helping to protect communities from the outbreak. Actions include distributing hygiene products, food, awareness campaigns, and fundraising initiatives. On its official website, the institute redirects donators to each campaign website and allows people to include their own projects.

As we reported in our Covid-19 Live Blog on April 16, in São Paulo, Brazil’s hardest-hit city, suburbs were leading in the number of casualties, though the absolute number of cases was higher in wealthier areas.    

• Go deeper: Covid-19 reaches favelas, where social isolation is nearly impossible

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