ESRI: Health Information Map, Tracking the Flu

I’ve always been enamored by maps, because they tell a story – why one area is more populated than another, how populations move and what geographic distinctions make an area more attractive for a specific use. ESRI takes their research + outside data + government data + social media to create stories using maps. From tracking demographic impact after Superstorm Sandy to mapping out Olympic medals won per country over the years, the maps cover a range of interests. These maps can be used academically to visualize and interpret data to better understand relationships, but they are also just plain fun to look at.The start of 2013 also came with a rough flu season. ESRI has taken weekly data gathered by the CDC and mapped out which states have the highest influenza activity. On top of that, ESRI has layered on social media (YouTube, Twitter, Flickr) to show who’s talking about the flu. Check out the map here: Health Information Map. There is also a map to see which populations are most at-risk from the flu this season by age.