Reference: Dong E, Du H, Gardner L. An interactive web-based dashboard to track COVID-19 in real time. Lancet Infect Dis; published online Feb 19. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-
Who started the dashboard?
Professor Lauren Gardner, a civil and systems engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University, built the dashboard with her graduate student, Ensheng Dong. It is maintained at the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, with technical support from ESRI and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Gardner is co-director of the CSSE. Learn more about Gardner and her work.
When and why was this map started?
The map was first shared publicly on Jan. 22. It was developed to provide researchers, public health authorities, and the general public with a user-friendly tool to track the outbreak as it unfolds. All data collected and displayed are made freely available through a GitHub repository, along with the feature layers of the dashboard, which are now included in the ESRI Living Atlas. For a detailed explanation for the dashboard’s development, please refer to this article in The Lancet by Professor Lauren Gardner.
Does the website provide medical guidance?
Reliance on the website for medical guidance or use of the website in commerce is strictly prohibited. The Johns Hopkins University hereby disclaims any and all representations and warranties with respect to the website, including accuracy, fitness for use, and merchantability.
Has the map contained any malware?
No. Johns Hopkins University has learned about the existence of malware designed to look like the university’s coronavirus tracking map in an effort to steal information from users who visit the fake site. The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 map on the university’s website does not contain malware and is safe to navigate. The malicious application requires users to download software or launch the fake map, which opens the malware. The Johns Hopkins dashboard is hosted by Esri as part of its ArcGis Online offering. According to Esri, “a malicious person created a Windows-based application containing malware whose display is practically identical to the Hopkins dashboard.” If you receive an email containing a link to download such an item or come across the code for the malicious app please report it immediately to the Esri incident response team through ArcGIS Trust Center security concern page.
Who can I talk to for more information about the dashboard or to speak with Professor Gardner?General questions about the map should be directed to [email protected]. Members of the media with questions should contact the Johns Hopkins University Office of Communications at 443-997-9009 or at [email protected].