How worried is Australia about the coronavirus compared to the world?
The deadly coronavirus is becoming a subject of increasing concern around the world - except, it seems, where it began.
Google data show that as search results around the illness increase across the rest of the world, it decreases in China.
Google Trends shows that, proportionately, Australia ranks at number 10 in worldwide searches on the coronavirus.
Australian searches for the coronavirus are peaking now after a February decline. Google
The list is topped by Italy, followed by Singapore, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, France, Germany, New Zealand and Austria.
The UK comes in at 13th and the US at 19th.
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Worldwide, Italy is the most concerned about the coronavirus. Google
China is not mentioned.
The Chinese government is known to exercise censorious control over the national internet, banning websites and searches that could be construed as detrimental to state power.
Globally, coronavirus inquiries on Google are climbing. Google
However, an examination of search trends in China show coronavirus inquiries peaking in late January before gradually declining until early March.
This contradicts worldwide trends, where a peak in late January is followed by a fall in February, and a sharp rise in late February and early March.
In China, there has been no resurgence after a January surge. Google
Australia mirrors that same pattern, peaking at the latest measured date on March 2.
Western Australia is making online inquiries at the highest volume, and Tasmania the lowest.
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