The DRLA H1N1 Influenza 2009 (H1N1) timeline enables users to visually organize data in order to better analyze disaster management actions related to the H1N1 response.  The timeline is designed to facilitate visual classification of pertinent incidents/events by highlighting temporal relationships between multiple data sources. The annotated timeline tool combines visual presentation of data with a detailed look at the day by day response from governments, Non-Governmental Organizations, and International Organizations.

Influenza pandemics like the 1918 “Spanish flu” that killed more than 500,000 people in the United States and 20 to 50 million people worldwide are disaster events that require timely and effective action on the part of governments, local communities, non-governmental organizations and other international actors like the United Nations in order to save lives and alleviate suffering.

We are currently in phase 6 of the 2009 influenza pandemic and since the first case was reported in Mexico back in April, there are now over 100 countries that have reported cases of H1N1. “Mexico gave the world an early warning, and it also gave the world a model of rapid and transparent reporting, aggressive control measures, and generous sharing of data and samples. Though the worse may be over for some countries from this first wave of cases, we can expect more countries to experience a tidal wave of cases” according to Margaret Chan of the World Health Organization.

Therefore, in order to strengthen leadership of global disaster management and to identify best practices and lessons learned from this first wave of cases, the DRLA is carrying out two leadership case studies: (1) review of the U.S. Government Coordination of H1N1; and (2) review of the Australian Government’s H1N1 adjustment response measures.