Companies mine Web clues for signs of pandemics

April 30, 2009 | Source: PhysOrg.com

Veratect Inc combines computer algorithms with human analysts to monitor online and off-line sources for hints of disease outbreaks and civil unrest worldwide, using blogs, online chat rooms, Twitter feeds, news media and government Web sites.

Veratect says it posted a report to clients on April 6 describing an unusual number of respiratory illnesses in the Mexican state of Veracruz, then sent an e-mail on April 16 to the Centers for Disease Control pointing to an outbreak of atypical pneumonia in Oaxaca state, after officials there issued an alert.