Qom, like elsewhere in Iran, is grappling with a surge in coronavirus cases. Iranian authorities began digging a pair of trenches for victims days after the government disclosed the initial outbreak. Together their lengths are that of a football field.
washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/…
washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/…
Our investigation started with a video widely shared on social media reportedly filmed on March 2 showing dozens of victims of the coronavirus awaiting burial inside the morgue of the Beheshte Masoumeh cemetery.
Here's where the video was allegedly filmed. 
But we still didn't have a full picture of the number of deaths caused by the virus in the city. Another video surfaced when on March 3 @bbcpersian shared this video allegedly filmed in cemetery.
With the help of analyst Fabian Hintz from @MIIS using satellite imagery from @planetlabs we were able to geolocate the video and confirm it had been filmed in the cemetery.
Next with high resolution satellite imagery provided by 🛰️📸 @Maxar and expert analysis from one of their senior analysts we discovered that the excavation of a new section of the graveyard began as early as Feb. 21, and then rapidly expanded as the virus also spread.
🛰️📸@maxar satellite imagery from March 1 clearly shows a pair of large trenches. Together, their lengths are that of a football field.
The senior imagery analyst at @Maxar compared historical imagery from the site and concluded that the size of the new trenches and the speed with which they were excavated together mark a clear departure from past burial practices involving individual and family plots at the site
Still @erinmcunningham and I wanted further confirmation of recent excavation. That's when we turned to Fabian Hinz from @MIIS. Hintz turned to color infrared satellite imagery that can detect the changes in chlorophyll and is helpful in seeing changes from disturbed earth.
Using @planetlabs satellite imagery he was able to compare historic imagery of the cemetery that revealed recent excavation.
High resolution imagery provided by 🛰️📸 @Maxar from march 1 using the same colored infrared satellite imagery, show the recent excavation and capture pink highlights on the area of the trench.
@washingtonpost has continued to cover the coronavirus outbreak in Iran. Earlier this week @erinmcunningham and I obtained data on the outbreak from hospitals in Tehran. You can find the story here washingtonpost.com/world/middle_e…
Big shout out to @ArmsControlWonk podcast slack community for helping us get in touch with satellite imagery analysts and experts on the region. @LegendaryPatMan is legend.
Any tips and story suggestions on the #coronavirus outbreak in Iran are welcomed.
