key: cord-0688889-rz1juv9d
authors: Sharma, Manik; Sharma, Samriti
title: The Rising Number of COVID-19 Cases Reflecting Growing Search Trend and Concern of People: A Google Trend Analysis of Eight Major Countries
date: 2020-05-20
journal: J Med Syst
DOI: 10.1007/s10916-020-01588-5
sha: c3ff2842b81c3c317902c22c601c73681e99c66a
doc_id: 688889
cord_uid: rz1juv9d

nan

Among these countries, an unexpected growth has been witnessed in both infected and fatal cases. The impacts of COVID-19 are on the peak for United States, Spain, Italy and France. Due to the momentous population density, Indians are frightened of mass destruction [4] . .

Additionally, the COVID-19 fear and concern have been well reflected on Google searches and the same can be validated through Google wave of interest. The Google trend of these eight countries for the term 'COVID-19' has also been explored. The trend value reflects the people's interest in the searched item. The highest and lowest rates of search interest on the Google wave are represented by 100 and 0 respectively (Fig. 1) .

The waves of the Google interest have been raised over the observed period (01st March to 10th April). The increased Google trend implicitly represents the folk's state of distress, despair, and concern for this pandemic. A sharp increase in the trend has been observed from 10th march to 10th April 2020. The Google trend can be further mined to determine the least and most infected regions of the countries. To avoid the massive increase of psychological disorders, there is a need to access the mental state of COVID-19 afflicted individuals [5] . Based upon the high wave of interest in the regions, the semantic analysis of the searches can be carried out to find the prevalence of psychological impacts and the need of psychological intervention (behaviour and cognitive) for mental health problems during and after this pandemic. This would help in delivering therapeutic assistance to improve psychological resilience and to boost immunity of the COVID afflicted, suspected and infected victims [6] . 

COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic

2019-nCoV pandemic: A disruptive and stressful atmosphere for Indian academic fraternity

Self-harm and COVID-19 Pandemic: An emerging concern-A report of 2 cases from India

A chaotic and stressed environment for 2019-nCoV suspected, infected and other people in India: fear of mass destruction and causality

The differential psychological distress of populations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

Using psychoneuroimmunity against COVID-19

Conflict of Interest None.