Esri Sets Up COVID-19 GIS Hub

The planning profession can contribute to the worldwide fight to control the spread of COVID-19. GIS technology, for instance, allows real-time monitoring of the pandemic.

1 minute read

March 13, 2020, 6:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Public Transit

praszkiewicz / Shutterstock

Esri, the California-based geographic information systems (GIS) company, has launched the online "COVID-19 GIS Hub" with a number of useful tools for tracking information about the spread and mitigation of coronavirus disease around the world.

Tools include a deeply informative "Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases" dashboard, created by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University, and a COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, created by the Biocomplexity Institute at the University of Virginia. The Esri hub also offers GIS apps that illustrate data at the regional level in China, Italy, Japan, and Hong Kong; a story map article that examines age and social vulnerability in the context of Coronavirus; and a collection of additional maps offering insights into the pandemic.

Thursday, March 12, 2020 in ESRI

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Bird's eye view of manufactured home park.

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing

Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

March 25, 2025 - Shelterforce

U-Haul truck on road with blurred grassy roadside in background.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?

Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

March 27, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Rusty abandoned oil well and equipment with prickly pear cactus next to it in West Texas.

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage

Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

March 31, 2025 - Pennsylvania State University

Colorful blocky apartment building facade.

Minneapolis Bans Rent-Setting Software

Four cities have enacted restrictions on algorithmic software that can inflate rent costs.

4 hours ago - Stateline

Silver electric BMW car parked in driveway of home in Oakland, California.

Oakland to Add 244 New EV Chargers

Oakland plans to launch its new charging network at eight locations by the end of 2025.

5 hours ago - City of Oakland

Sculpture of seated Jane Goodall holding hands with chimp on green lawn.

Jane Goodall Inspires with Message of Hope, Resilience, and Environmental Action

Speaking in Pasadena, Jane Goodall offered a hopeful and inspirational message, urging global compassion, environmental responsibility, and the power of individual action to shape a better future.

6 hours ago - Pasadena Star-News