Factors Affecting GIS-based 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic

This paper aims to explore the spatial-temporal distribution pattern of the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in early2009and access the influence of international human transportation and regional atmosphere variation on influenza A H1N1under globalization in order to support the draft of national prevention and control strategies. Firstly, we overview the process of influenza A H1N1virus in the early2009and summarize the prevention and control methods taken in each country. Besides, the spatial-temporal distribution pattern is explored by the Ripley’s K function based upon the optimized spherical distance. The temporal distribution pattern of the newly-occurred cases in the latitude-order countries are acquired by comparing the confirmed cases between2000and2012. Moreover, the relation between international human travel and the pandemic of H1N1is attained from the international travel perspective. By constructing the ’departure-oriented’ travel network, we further analysis the impact of air travel network on the transmission of H1N1. In addition, various climate scenarios are provided and compared to study the characteristics of five basic climate factors, namely, temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure and absolute humidity.It is shown that the H1N1cases clustered until the end of June,2009and its L function value plot is similar to that in the global major cities.78.5percent cases fall in the600km range around each if the65major cities. Meanwhile, the peak of northern temporal countries lay between the45th to48th weeks, which is earlier than those in each year. Besides, some northern temporal countries still have a large number of cases in the traditional influenza season, that is, in June and July. The relation between international human travel and the pandemic of H1N1shows that there is a strong relationship during the early period of pandemic and the more important of a city in the network, the earlier of the occurrence of influenza. Lastly, the comparison of cases in various climate zones is not identical to the experimental results which implemented in the low temperature and dry environment. However, further study reflects that low temperature can benefit the transmission of H1N1viruses. Four other factors are not of significant differences.Combining the result of spatial-temporal distribution of H1N1cases and the relation between international human travel and the pandemic of H1N1, the international human travel plays the crucial role in influenza transmission and dominates the direction. Global major cities are also important in the spread of viruses in the early period. While the human population density of each region and climate lead the influenza situation in the latter period. The transmission may take the advantage from low temperature as well.