They have used search logs to predict flu rates, based on the belief that the first thing people do when they get sick is start searching the Web. It turns out that they are 89% accurate on seasonal flu rates, based on verification with U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data. The benefit of this data-mining work is that Google can actually give the CDC real-time information more quickly than the CDC gets it from doctors and hospitals.” …
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