Spatial pattern of severe acute respiratory syndrome in-out flow in 2003 in Mainland China.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) spread to 32 countries and regions within a few months in 2003. There were 5327 SARS cases from November 2002 to May 2003 in Mainland China, which involved 29 provinces, resulted in 349 deaths, and directly caused economic losses of $18.3 billion.

Methods

This study used an in-out flow model and flow mapping to visualize and explore the spatial pattern of SARS transmission in different regions. In-out flow is measured by the in-out degree and clustering coefficient of SARS. Flow mapping is an exploratory method of spatial visualization for interaction data.

Results

The findings were as follows. (1) SARS in-out flow had a clear hierarchy. It formed two main centers, Guangdong in South China and Beijing in North China,

SUBMITTER: Xu C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4322810 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature