Google uses flu search data to deliver real time info
Google has found that certain search terms are good indicators of flu activity. What this has enabled them to do is build a model that estimates flu activity in near real-time. The Google information is current each day compared to information provided by traditional surveillance systems like the CDC which require 1-2 weeks to gather and process.
The team analyzing the Google data created a great quicktime video that shows the Google Flu Trend data compared to CDC data – it exhibits how well the Google data tracks with the CDC data and also clearly shows that the Google information is available in real-time, ahead of the CDC information.
Another interesting bit is that Google can provide the Google Flu Trends data for a number of countries and regions allowing for comparative data from the same source. They hope “up-to-date influenza estimates may enable public health officials and health professionals to better respond to seasonal epidemics. If a region experiences an early, sharp increase in Influenza-like illness (ILI) physician visits, it may be possible to focus additional resources on that region to identify the etiology of the outbreak, providing extra vaccine capacity or raising local media awareness as necessary”.
Here’s the link to Google global flu trends at a glance. Makes me think it is a perfect time for that vacation to New Zealand that’s been on my to-do list for years!
United States: Influenza-like illness (ILI) data provided publicly by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control compared to Google Trends estimate.
This entry was posted on Monday, November 30th, 2009 at 9:31 am and is filed under H1N1 (Swine Flu). You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
