We recently launched a new section focused on presenting data about the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The section is updated daily. It includes reported cases and deaths for the entire world as well as for every country that has been affected. We will update the section over time, adding charts and visualizations that should help visitors understand the evolution and impact of the pandemic.
Humans can be infected by influenza viruses types A,B, and C. Type A affects humans, birds, and pigs. Type B and C affect only humans. Type C is less severe than type A and it does not cause pandemics.
In this visualization by Information is Beautiful, we can see how the different strains of influenza virus affect humans, what is their origin, and how they are transmitted from pigs and from birds ultimately to humans.
Type A influenza is divided into H and N strains. The “swine flu” N1H1 killed 15,000 people worldwide in 2009-2010. The “bird flu” H5N1 strain, with a fatality rate of 60%, has killed 371 people as of 2013. The more recent H7N9 strain has killed thousand of pigs in China, with 8 human fatalities to date.
A new study shows how air travel plays a role in the spread of contagious diseases. Airports in New York, Honolulu, and Los Angeles are likely to be the most influential in terms of contagion.
Is the airport in your hometown likely to play a role in the next global pandemic outbreak?