TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of the Spatial Distribution and Associated Factors of the Transmission Locations of COVID-19 in the First Four Waves in Hong Kong
AU - Yang, Daping
AU - Shi, Wenzhong
AU - Yu, Yue
AU - Chen, Liang
AU - Chen, Ruizhi
N1 - Funding Information:
The State Bureau of Surveying and Mapping, China (1-ZVE8), National Key R&D Program of China (2019YFB2103102), Hong Kong Research Grants Council (T22-505/19-N), and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (1-ZVN6).
Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Otto Poon Charitable Foundation Smart Cities Research Institute, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (Work Program: CD03).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 by the authors.
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Understanding the space–time pattern of the transmission locations of COVID-19, as well as the relationship between the pattern, socioeconomic status, and environmental factors, is important for pandemic prevention. Most existing research mainly analyzes the locations resided in or visited by COVID-19 cases, while few studies have been undertaken on the space–time pattern of the locations at which the transmissions took place and its associated influencing factors. To fill this gap, this study focuses on the space–time distribution patterns of COVID-19 transmission locations and the association between such patterns and urban factors. With Hong Kong as the study area, transmission chains of the four waves of COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong during the time period of January 2020 to June 2021 were reconstructed from the collected case information, and then the locations of COVID-19 transmission were inferred from the transmission chains. Statistically significant clusters of COVID-19 transmission locations at the level of tertiary planning units (TPUs) were detected and compared among different waves of COVID-19 outbreak. The high-risk areas and the associated influencing factors of different waves were also investigated. The results indicate that COVID-19 transmission began with the Hong Kong Island, further moved northward towards the New Territories, and finally shifted to the south Hong Kong Island, and the transmission population shows a difference between residential locations and non-residential locations. The research results can provide health authorities and policy-makers with useful information for pandemic prevention, as well as serve as a guide to the public in the avoidance of activities and places with a high risk of contagion.
AB - Understanding the space–time pattern of the transmission locations of COVID-19, as well as the relationship between the pattern, socioeconomic status, and environmental factors, is important for pandemic prevention. Most existing research mainly analyzes the locations resided in or visited by COVID-19 cases, while few studies have been undertaken on the space–time pattern of the locations at which the transmissions took place and its associated influencing factors. To fill this gap, this study focuses on the space–time distribution patterns of COVID-19 transmission locations and the association between such patterns and urban factors. With Hong Kong as the study area, transmission chains of the four waves of COVID-19 outbreak in Hong Kong during the time period of January 2020 to June 2021 were reconstructed from the collected case information, and then the locations of COVID-19 transmission were inferred from the transmission chains. Statistically significant clusters of COVID-19 transmission locations at the level of tertiary planning units (TPUs) were detected and compared among different waves of COVID-19 outbreak. The high-risk areas and the associated influencing factors of different waves were also investigated. The results indicate that COVID-19 transmission began with the Hong Kong Island, further moved northward towards the New Territories, and finally shifted to the south Hong Kong Island, and the transmission population shows a difference between residential locations and non-residential locations. The research results can provide health authorities and policy-makers with useful information for pandemic prevention, as well as serve as a guide to the public in the avoidance of activities and places with a high risk of contagion.
KW - COVID-19
KW - Hong Kong
KW - transmission chains
KW - transmission locations
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85151551331&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/ijgi12030111
DO - 10.3390/ijgi12030111
M3 - Journal article
AN - SCOPUS:85151551331
SN - 2220-9964
VL - 12
JO - ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
JF - ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information
IS - 3
M1 - 111
ER -