With the world on swine flu watch, a number of online maps are tracking the spread of the disease. The Google Maps Mania blog rounds up some of the best and most creative efforts.
One of the earliest is this user-generated Google map by “Niman”, which plots suspected, confirmed or probable, and negative incidences (click image below to see full-screen, real-time version).
This HealthMap displays the latest information on its swine flu map with markers co-ordinated according to the “heat” – encompassing recentness and size – of the outbreak.
The map pulls in information from a number of sources, including news reports and official alerts, and therefore markers may not necessarily represent a confirmed outbreak – worth clicking through the links before you panic. See also the general HealthMap for info on swine flu plus a variety of other diseases.
Google also maps flu trends in the USA – based on where people are searching for flu-related terms. The reasoning goes that, if people feel ill, they tend to head for the internet for advice.
The search company reckons its data both corresponds with official tracking methods, and can scoop them by a fortnight, as it updates more quickly. At time of writing, Google trends suggests tropical Hawaii is the US-flu hotspot – something which has yet to translate into a rash of swine flu cases. The official Centres for Disease Control and Prevention website has official data on US swine flu cases – worth reading in conjunction with user-generated content for the most rounded picture.
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maybe the reason people are dying in mexico and not as yet abroad might be down to their dna or even the temperatures in mexico, maybe the heat magnifies its potency. what do you think
good theory and also, the health care system in mexico has many things lacking…
News coverage repeatedly describe the centre of the epidemic as the “epicentre”. Is this just presenter pomposity? The epicentre of an earthquake is the point on the earth’s surface directly above the centre ( miles below). Diseases start on the surface and are therefore centres. English please.
Strictly speaking, they do mean “epicentre”, since the true “centre” of the epidemic was likely to be a pig. So the epicentre is the region where that pig resided.
Jon Stewart on the Daily Show poked good fun at Swine Flu. Lots of pertinent points, not least of which was how six cases could result in four million square miles of a US state being highlighted in red.
Even the Scottish Health Minister yesterday, seemed to be talking about people being isolated because they were showing symptoms of a mild cold…
It is spreading panic we need to worry about, not the pandemic…
I think that the UK really need to keep an eye on people and do some injection or something to keep the swine flu away and kill people! I also would advice anyone not to eat any pork because, that’s where it eventually comes from!!! THINK!!!
The virus is not transmitted by food, official advice says: “There is no risk of catching the illness from eating properly handled and cooked pork or pork products.”
See more: http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1240812255916
U.S. Health Organisations have reported that eating pork is safe (e.g.) if you cook it to the proper temperatures.
Probably my fault.
so will this virus be shelved until december-jan..when this nation has our seasonal flu(uk)..has it not had the oppurtunity to evolve or has it pre-evolved and only managed to survive as far as Texas..isnt that right next to mexico..??
Interesting stuff. Did you hear that there’s a new strain which is resistant to the anti-flu drugs? Tamiflu etc? Found a really good website for tracking it’s progress, seems to be updated every hour or so… http://www.swinefludeaths.co.uk.
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