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There’s a lot we still don’t know about the coronavirus outbreak. This newsletter does its best to put everything we do know in one place each day. Have questions you want answered? You can always get in touch. And to help keep high quality news free for all, become a BuzzFeed News member.

And with that, here’s what we know as of Tuesday, April 21.

Coronavirus in the US

As of Tuesday afternoon, there have been 812,036 confirmed cases and 44,444 deaths in the US. These numbers were accurate when we sent this out, but they’re always changing. For the latest numbers and charts, check out our live-tracking page, where you can also look up the numbers by the state you live in.

The cities hit hardest

One thing becomes shockingly clear when you look at the cities across the country that have taken the hardest hits during the coronavirus outbreak: there’s New York City, and then there’s everywhere else. In this chart, which looks at total deaths broken down by metropolitan area — which means the NYC area includes parts of neighboring New Jersey — the gap is so stark. In terms of total deaths, the New York area has seen more than twice as many as the next nine hardest-hit cities combined.

Obviously the numbers will be higher in the largest city in the country. But even when you adjust for population, there’s only one other place in the country with a higher death rate: Albany, Georgia, where 140 people have died in a city of just under 147,000. The death rate drops significantly between those two places and everywhere else in the country:

A 60-day immigration ban. Sort of.

Last night President Trump tweeted that he would soon sign an executive order temporarily banning immigration to the United States, citing the need to “protect the jobs of our great American citizens.” At this afternoon’s daily coronavirus briefing, he elaborated on what that will mean in practice.

There will be a 60-day ban on foreigners applying for permanent residency permits, also known as green cards. The ban as Trump described it will not apply to the temporary guest workers employed as summer labor in farms and elsewhere; nor apparently will it apply to the work visas issued to skilled foreign workers hired for white collar jobs in US offices.

"There will be some people coming in, but it's, it's a strong order,” Trump said. “It involves a big circle, as you know.” He hinted that the ban could be modified or expanded as time goes on, and that the text of the order, including many of the details that are still unclear, will likely be released tomorrow.

The story behind *that* photo

You’ve probably already seen the picture: Photographer Alyson McClaran captured the moment a counterprotester in full scrubs and a face mask stood in the middle of the road and blocked a convoy of anti-lockdown protesters. The image soon went extremely viral:

Alyson McClaran / Reuters

But the story behind the photo is also one worth telling. Tasneem Nashrulla spoke with McLaran and found out that like at least 22 million other Americans, the Denver-based photographer is currently unemployed. So she decided she’d head to the state Capitol this weekend to photograph what happened when the multi-state protests dubbed “Operation Gridlock” hit her city.

"I wanted to document history," she said. But she soon became uncomfortable at the protest — participants weren’t wearing masks or following social distancing guidelines, so she decided to head home. On the way, she came across the scene in the image above.

Her boyfriend took video of the confrontation. "Go to China if you want communism," the woman in the car yelled at the unidentified counterprotester. "Go to China!" But they stood their ground," McClaran said. "They were very peaceful, and I didn't hear a single word come out of the guy's mouth."

What we’re reading

A potentially lifesaving gadget

Doctors keep noticing one strange detail in many coronavirus patients: plunging blood oxygen levels, with otherwise healthy seeming patients showing readings that suggest they should be in much more serious trouble. Nobody knows exactly why just yet, the New York Times reports, but there are theories. And many doctors say this early warning sign of a serious coronavirus case can be detected at home with a cheap, simple device you can buy over the counter at most pharmacies: a pulse oximeter, which clips onto your finger and measures both your heart rate and your blood oxygen level.

AG warns lockdowns may cross a line

In an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Attorney General William Barr said that while nothing has crossed the line just yet, his office will be keeping a close watch on state lockdown orders that go too far. “We’re looking carefully at a number of these rules that are being put into place,” Barr said. And if we think one goes too far, we initially try to jawbone the governors into rolling them back or adjusting them."

Where the virus hits the hardest

Brooklyn's Black and Brown Communities — Home to Many Of New York City's Essential Workers — Are Coronavirus Hot Spots (BuzzFeed News)

That’s...bad?

Director of Key US Vaccine Agency Leaves Role Suddenly Amid Coronavirus (Stat)

It’s News O’Clock
BuzzFeed News launched its new daily podcast this week, and it’s wonderful. In today's episode of News O'Clock you'll hear from a local TV news reporter in Lansing, Michigan, talking about covering the coronavirus outbreak and lockdown protests there. Check it out!

A New York City subway worker wipes down a turnstile. Ridership on the subway has plummeted; it's now mostly used by essential workers.
(Andrew Kelly / Reuters)

Coronavirus around the world

As of Tuesday afternoon, there were 2,504,654 confirmed cases and 176,019 deaths globally. These numbers are changing by the hour. You can get the latest figures from our live tracker.

The world is facing famines “of biblical proportions” due to the pandemic, according to the UN’s food relief agency. “We are talking about extreme conditions, emergency status — people literally marching to the brink of starvation,” the chief of the World Food Programme said.

Milan will emerge from its coronavirus lockdown with fewer cars and more bike lanes. As the city moves to “phase two” of the lockdown 22 miles of roads will be closed to cars and set aside for bikes and pedestrians.

How did New Zealand win the first round of its fight against the coronavirus? Here’s a look at the country’s approach as it begins emerging from lockdown.

The World Health Organization is "a bit of a propaganda tool for the Chinese," White House national security adviser Robert O'Brien said today. The Trump administration is investigating whether payments from China influenced the WHO's response to the outbreak.

One last thing

via @mnateshyamalan