Airports Most Likely to Spread Disease - as part of the news series by GeoBeats.
Many scientists believe it's not a question of if rather when we will be faced with a global pandemic. Even though we are medically more equipped today than 50 or 100 years ago to face such a scenario, air travel does lead to higher rate at which the diseases spread to other parts of the world.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology conducted a study to determine which US airports are most likely to spread disease. One would expect Atlanta's International Airport and Chicago's O'Hare to be at the top however, the study determined John F. Kennedy Airport to be the most likely to spread disease.
JFK's large number of international flights, its proximity to a major metropolitan area, New York are among the primary reasons. Number 2 on the list was Los Angeles International Airport and Number 3 was a surprise - Hawaii's Honolulu International Airport that was also in part due to its global connectivity. The factors that the researchers considered included an airport's connectivity network, geographical location, traffic layout and mobility patterns of passengers.
Such studies can help authorities determine the allocation of resources in the event of an outbreak.
