Emerging Infectious Disease

Researchers have mapped the world's hotspots for emerging infectious diseases. The main hotspots were in South Asia and South-East Asia. These areas are not the financial focus of global funds to prevent the spread of emerging infectious disease. The research also found that conservation efforts -- that reduce conflicts between humans and animals -- could play a key role in limiting future outbreaks:

"We are crowding wildlife into ever smaller areas, and human population is increasing," explained Dr Marc Levy, a global change expert at Columbia University's Earth Institute. "Where those two things meet, that is the recipe for something crossing over."