Google have a very nice implementation of a Flash map on a new Google Flu Trends website. The map shows aggregated Google search data to estimate flu activity in each state in the US. Google have found that when they tally each month's flu-related search queries it bears a close correlation to how many people actually have a flu-like illness.
If anyone wants to build their own Google Maps flu mash-up they can download Google's data:
- Current Estimates: this season's ILI estimates, including the current week's data
- Historical Estimates: weekly ILI estimates for the five previous seasons (beginning with 2003-2004)
Presumably in aggregating this data Google have found some way to ignore searches for the 'Man Flu' strain of flu:
Via: Official Google Blog: Tracking flu trends
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