The new Google tool to "map the spread of influenza"

11, Google (Google) officially launched a new tool - "Google influenza trends." This new type of test showed that web-based tools, "Google influenza trends" than the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least one week in advance, out of the region aware of whether there is an outbreak of influenza. Public health experts say, "Google influenza trend" can help doctors, hospitals and public health officials to more effectively deal with an outbreak of influenza and reduce the rate of spread of influenza.

Design and influenza-related words

"Google trend of influenza," officially started on the 11th.



According to "New York Times," This is a tool-to-date services, including through follow-up analysis of the keywords entered by the user to create areas of influenza and influenza map charts to show the direction of the spread of influenza and scope. Experts said that although not every search keywords such of the people had influenza, but with the overall total, it can effectively reflect the general style. Studies have shown that about 35% -40% netizens online health information.

In order to create a "Google influenza trend," Google engineers designed the first of a series of influenza-related keywords, including the "flu symptoms" and "thermometer" or "muscle pain" and "blocking Chest" and so on. Then, Google engineers in-depth database of these excavations and a search keywords related to up to five years of data, information and analysis with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's influenza contrast, the report found, there are Very closely related to each other. Google said the tool will help the region Influenza outbreak in a timely manner is more effective to take preventive measures.

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Department in charge of monitoring influenza in Enfu Nelligan said: " 'Google trends flu' could provide convincing flu outbreak early warning." He said that an outbreak of influenza than the earlier warning, prevention And control means the sooner you can put in place so that influenza can be effectively controlled. According to its introduction, the United States each year are 5% to 20% of people suffering from influenza, of which there are about 36,000 deaths.

CDC than the warning issued in advance

This new type of test showed that web-based tools, "Google influenza trends" than the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in advance 1-10 weeks time, discover whether there is an influenza outbreak in the region.

U.S. federal health officials used to monitor the system, usually two weeks or longer to determine whether the flu has been introduced to a state or region. This is because the current Center for Disease Control and Prevention have to rely on the main symptoms of influenza patients for medical treatment and laboratory testing of influenza patients to determine the circumstances of influenza.

In contrast, by analyzing the search words, "Google influenza trend" can determine in advance the spread of influenza. For example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released early in February this year reported that the Atlantic coast of the central region of the influenza outbreak, but a summary of the Google search data show that two weeks ago on this situation.

However, Google chief economist哈尔瓦里安cautioned that "Google influenza trend" can effectively determine trends, but the "turning point easy to miss, miss the data to change the direction of the time."

Google hopes to promote in the world

"Google influenza trend" for people's health benefits, but it also led to some leakage of privacy concerns. In response, Google said, "Google trend of influenza," there is no violation of privacy, because it is a total analysis of the data, rather than rely on search to track individual persons.

At present, "Google influenza trend" to monitor the scope of coverage only to the United States, but Google hopes the technology will spread throughout the world. Google Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt said: "From a technical point of view, this is a start." Learned that the "trend of influenza Google" principle methods of paper, is expected to "Nature" magazine Published.

The researchers said that through the search engine to obtain data is very strong because these people take the initiative to enter the keywords, on behalf of the user's intent-to-date. At present, the company Google, engineers are still analyzing test words to sum up the economic, market and business trends.