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故事地圖

Virus flying in 飛躍流感

(added on 2009/05/27)

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The map shows the flight paths of the first 6 cases of laboratory-confirmed “swine flu” in the region covering Mainland China and Hong Kong, before entering our home cities. As a respiratory infection, influenza virus is transmitted through person-to-person contacts, and “swine flu” is no exception. In modern days, the high intensity and extensiveness of air travel has shortened the distance between people, bringing the source of infection closer to distant populations in almost no time. Presumably originating in Mexico, the virus found its way through long distance air travel to Asian communities. The map has incorporated information obtained from multiple sources in the media.

First imported swine flu [Influenza A (H1N1)] cases in China and Hong Kong
[ Details ]

Case 1 (yellow arrow): This was the first swine flu case reported in Hong Kong. Case 1, a Mexican tourist, travelled from Mexico on the 30th of April, interchanged at Shanghai and arrived in Hong Kong. He developed fever afterwards and sought medical assistance in local hospital.

Case 2 (dark olivenite arrow): This was the first imported case reported in China. Case 2, a Chinese from Sichuan, studying in USA, travelled from St. Louis, on the 7th of May, interchanged at Saint Paul (USA), arrived in Tokyo (Japan) on the 8th of May, and on the following day after midnight, Beijing (China). He stayed in a hotel in Beijing before heading back to Chengdu on the 10th of May. He claimed that he was feverish and was having sore throat when he flew to Beijing from Tokyo.

Case 3 (purple arrow): a Chinese from Hong Kong travelling from Las Vegas, interchanged at San Francisco and arrived Hong Kong on the 11th of May. He developed fever on the 9th of May with cough and sore throat before getting on the plane. He sought medical assistance once he arrived at the Hong Kong airport.

Case 4 (green arrow): a Chinese from Shandong, studying in Canada, travelled from Toronto on the 7th of May, arrived Beijing on the 8th where he stayed in a hotel for two nights. He then travelled to Jinan by train in the evening of May 11th. This case developed fever (39^oC) on the 10th of May with headache and sore throat. During the evening train to Jinan, assistance was sought.

Case 5 (orange arrow): a Chinese from Beijing studying in the USA, travelled from New York to Beijing on the 11th of May. She developed influenza-like symptoms on the 13th, and thereafter attended a local hospital on the 14th.

Case 6 (light green arrow): a Chinese from Guangdong studying in the USA, developed influenza-like symptoms on the 14th of May. He boarded a plane in New York on the 15th, and developed fever during the flight. On the 16th, he arrived in Hong Kong with a temperature of 38oC and failed the health check at the immigration station.

地圖顯示香港及中國大陸首六例『人類豬流感』確診個案的航空路線，可見他們抵港或附近城市前曾經到過的地方。流感是呼吸道傳染病，一般經人和人近距離接觸傳播，『人類豬流感』亦不例外。由於空中交通發達，現代社會的人際交往越趨頻繁，更將人與人之間的距離縮短，令傳染病擴散加速。相信源自墨西哥的新型『人類豬流感』病毒，透過航空交通網很快便傳到亞洲地區。地圖資料源自不同的媒體報導。

中國與香港的輸入性人類豬型流感個案
[ 詳細資料 ]

Human influenza 人類流感

Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by the influenza virus, different forms of which are normally circulating in not just human beings but pigs and birds. All influenza viruses are divided into A, B and C, and further distinguished by their H and N antigens. There are currently 18 H (standing for haemagglutinin) and 11 N (standing for neuraminidase) antigens. Epidemics occurred when novel viruses are introduced to the human population. Pandemic influenza A (H1N1), previously referred as Swine flu, was an example causing worldwide outbreaks in 2009. The genetic structure of this influenza virus contains segments from pig, bird and human, reflecting the occurrence of reassortment. Studies suggested a case fatality rate of 0.4% for the novel infection, and a higher tendency for causing disease in young people compared to other forms of seasonal flu. Since 2009, the same virus has continued to cause outbreaks in different populations at different timepoints.

流感是指『流感病毒』引起的呼吸道傳染病，所影響的不單是人，也包括豬和禽鳥。『流感病毒』分甲、乙、丙三個主要類型，又以H（血凝素）和N（神經氨酸酶）基因作更仔細的分類，而現時已知的共有十八種H和十一種N基因。新類型流感病毒的出現，往往為人群帶來大爆發。二零零九年新發現的人類甲型H1N1流感病毒，初時被稱為豬流感。該病毒包含了人、豬和禽鳥的流感病毒基因，反映了基因重組現象。研究顯示，該流感的死亡率約百份之零點四。而相對於其他季節性流感，H1N1對年青人的致病機會相對較高。自2009年起，人類甲型H1N1流感病毒繼續在不同地點和時間在人群中爆發。