The Reuters project “The Bat Lands” relied on a groundbreaking statistical model and reporting on six continents to pinpoint where outbreaks of bat-borne viruses with epidemic potential are likeliest. The model, developed by Reuters reporters, analyzed natural and human-driven conditions surrounding previous outbreaks and identified where similar factors exist worldwide. Reporters mapped more than 9 million square kilometers – about 6% of the Earth and home to some 1.8 billion people – where conditions are ripe for a lethal bat virus to emerge. The human population in these areas grew by 57% over two decades, boosting chances of a new pandemic.
