Internet search engine Google has developed a website which it claims accurately predicts where and when a flu epidemic will erupt. According to Google, epidemics can be forecast between seven to ten days in advance.

Flu Trends, as the site is called, has been available for some time in the United States and has recently been launched in Europe as well. Google describes the service as an experiment. Search terms that people enter on their search engine when they don't feel well or suspect flu is affecting their area, are combined with medical statistics to provide a flu map. Current data already allow to predict the outbreak of a large-scale epidemic but Google's new site claims to be more accurate. Its competitor Microsoft has also responded to the Influenza A (H1N1) outbreak by setting up a website which allows people to check if they have caught the virus or not.