Covid-19: Virus-stricken cities go digital to boost solidarity, wellbeing


People applaud from their houses in support of the medical staff that are working on the Covid-19 virus outbreak in Barcelona, Spain. On any given day, Barcelona residents can look at a list called #ElBarriDesdeTuCasa (‘The Neighbourhood On Your Doorstep’), posted on the online community platform Nextdoor, and find five or six events in their neighbourhood alone. — AP

BARCELONA/KUALA LUMPUR/TBILISI: On the streets of Barcelona, a few lone shoppers and dog walkers, their faces obscured by masks, are the only signs of life in this once-vibrant city — but online it's a different story.

In Spain, as in the rest of the world, increasing numbers of people are going digital to keep community spirits up and avoid feelings of isolation during the coronavirus crisis, which has infected about 725,000 people and killed more than 34,000 worldwide.

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