Countries most prone to risk of emergence of swine or avian flu in humans are poorer countries that have dense rural populations, with living quarters in close proximity to livestock. This is compounded by poor hygiene, lack of access to clean water and sanitation and poor public health education.

"It is important to see a newly emerging set of global risks - whether pandemics, conflict and terrorism, resource security including water stress, or climate change as inter-related," states Alyson Warhurst, Chair of Strategy and International Development at Warwick Business School. She continued, "Climate change is causing drought and flooding which in turn leads to crop failures and the destruction of livelihoods which in turn lead to poverty and the conditions that we see increase vulnerability to pandemic flu."

See more at: maps.maplecroft/panspread

warwick.ac