Google’s Flu Tracker Really Seems to be Working in Australia!

Given the recent move in our N1H1 flu alert level to ‘Protect’ I thought it would be interesting to check back with the Google Flu Trends site and see how it was going.

The main site is here:

http://www.google.org/flutrends/

If you are interested to know how the Flu Tracker works go here:

http://www.google.org/about/flutrends/how.html

Of even more interest, in the Australian context, is this page which allows access to the activity levels of flu by State.

This is found here:

http://www.google.org/flutrends/intl/en_au/

What is also interesting is that we see the Victorian hot spot and the quite low levels in the NT and WA.

This matches up just perfectly with what we see here:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25651578-421,00.html

Australia upgrades swine flu phase to 'protect'

AAP

June 17, 2009 07:26pm

• Australia now in "protect" swine flu phase
• Most at risk to get drugs, less quarantine
• Infections now over 2000

AUSTRALIA has swung into a new pandemic "protect" phase, as the number of swine flu cases soars past 2000.

The new phase will focus antiviral drugs and medical attention on those deemed most at risk, including pregnant women, the morbidly obese and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma.

People who live with or have come into contact with swine flu patients will no longer be quarantined.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the states and territories would reopen schools closed due to swine flu and students who had returned from areas affected by the disease would be allowed to attend classes.

"Excluding well children from school if they're in an area of sustained community transmission is now a less practical or useful measure,'' she said in Canberra.

Full article here (wait for map to load):

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25651578-421,00.html

Also interesting is that the graph for Victoria is looking to be running well above trend for the last few years in terms of numbers. All the other states seem to be running at trend or even a little below. I looks like when this virus get going it is an infectious little beast.

It will be interesting to keep an eye on the graph over coming weeks!

Thanks Google.

David.