SOCIAL DISTANCING: DOES IT WORK IN CROWDED PLACES?
The future of the corona pandemic to a greater extent will be determined by what happens in very large and densely populated countries.
DR. MICHAEL RYAN, executive director of the WHO’s health emergencies programme
In densely populated places such as Dhaka or Rio de Janeiro, it is difficult for people to follow international guidelines to keep the coronavirus at bay
Who will save Dhaka?
Bangladesh has issued stay-at-home orders. In Dhaka, a city of over 10mn where the average home is less than 120 sq feet and a million people live in slums, it is not practically possible for many to constantly stay indoors
Gaza and its problems
In Gaza Strip, where 2mn Palestinians live squeezed into 140 sq miles, the Hamas ordered the closure of cafes, wedding halls and mosques. With chronic power shortages, it’s hard for Gazans to stay inside their homes
Spotlight on Africa
Across Africa, authorities worry the virus could spread through slums and impoverished townships. Tear gas was used in some cities to enforce social distancing. So far the continent of 1.3 billion people has over 4,000 cases
Reaching out to slums
In Lagos, Africa's largest city with more than 20mn people, authorities have scrambled to spread the word about the virus among slum dwellers. In the vast Makoko slum, residents are not too keen on social distancing orders
Crammed minibuses
In the crowded townships, tens of thousands of workers pack into minibus taxis for commutes. At home, extended families squeeze into a single room or two and communities draw water from collective taps
Dire warnings
In Latin American and the Caribbean, experts are warning the virus could kill untold numbers in the poorest sectors of society. People live packed together and few have access to health care, let alone sophisticated medical care