PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — University of Maine at Presque Isle professor of Earth and Environmental Studies Chunzeng Wang said he first heard about COVID-19 around New Year’s Day, when media reports from Wuhan, China, began to shed light on what would become a global pandemic.
Wang continued to follow the virus as it spread from its origin in East Asia to numerous communities worldwide. And when it made its way to Maine in mid-March, Wang — who manages the GIS Lab at UMPI — said he believed it was his responsibility to use lab resources to educate the public.
Using data from the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wang began using the lab’s ArcGIS software to build informative maps featuring a multitude of data about the virus’ impact in Maine, including confirmed cases, patients hospitalized, ages of carriers and recoveries from the virus. He also includes data from Canada and the rest of the United States.
Wang has posted an up-to-date graphic each day on his personal page since Sunday, March 22, gaining more than 4,500 overall shares. Wang has chronicled how cases have continued to rise in Maine from fewer than 100 to more than 500.
Wang said the GIS Lab is always looking for ways to serve its community. Finding that the charts and maps on the virus presented by the Maine CDC did not help the public quickly learn about the situation, he decided to use lab resources to inform residents himself over social media rather than the traditional website.
“Facebook is a major social media tool and it is quick and easy for people to get information they look for,” Wang said. “I thought I would do something to help.”
Chunzeng Wang’s graphic of COVID-19 cases in Maine from April 8. (Courtesy of Chunzeng Wang)
As he keeps a close eye on the numbers coming from the Maine CDC each day, he said the most shocking number was the number of patients hospitalized. As of April 9, a total of 105 people have been hospitalized with the virus to date.
Each of Wang’s graphics also includes a disclaimer stating that the actual number of cases in Maine “must” be higher than those confirmed.
He said this is important to include because of the many factors that could hinder positive tests, including the “slow pace” of testing and people with the virus avoiding medical assistance.
The graphics have received praise from Maine residents, including Luke Shorty, executive director of the private boarding school Lee Academy in Lee, who used them to teach the international students remaining in his school’s dorms about the virus’s impact on the state.
They have also caught the eye of at least one government agency: The Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency asked Wang to send it his new graphic each day.
That agency’s deputy director John Gibson described Wang’s maps as “one of the most useful tools available to us,” praising its level of detail and the high amount of information featured in each image, including separating data points demographically.
“This situation is ever-changing,” Gibson said. “Receiving the daily update really assists our office in carrying out our mission of providing information and assistance to our communities.”
Gibson said the most important data point for Aroostook County residents is the break-up by age, as it showcases that those of all ages are susceptible to the virus. A total of 124 of the cases in Maine as of April 9 were from people below the age of 40.
With a passion for educating the public on what is undoubtedly the 21st-century’s most notable public health crisis, Wang said he plans to keep posting his colorful, detailed charts until the pandemic is over.
“People like to see as much information as possible from one single source,” Wang said.
