New Study Maps the World’s Disease Hotspots

Scientists at Columbia University’s Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) have recently released a new study featuring a map of the world’s disease hotspots. According to the press release:

"The study reports the first scientific evidence that emerging diseases are on the rise and that zoonoses—diseases from wildlife—are the prime threat, due to encroachment of wild areas by human population growth and related impacts."

The map shows the danger areas in red and yellow, while the relatively safe areas are in green. Co-author of the study Marc Levy describes the method by which they developed the map: “Overlaying maps of where the zoonotic diseases have occurred, with population maps, allowed a pattern of relationships to emerge.” In other words, places with a history of disease development that currently have a high population are the danger zones.