Coronavirus Trend Might be the Biggest in Google Search History

According to a recent report, the current coronavirus trend may be the biggest in Google search history.

In the last few weeks, coronavirus has been a hot search topic. Not only are people searching for information about the virus itself, but they also want to know how it could infect them.

The report suggests that questions about the virus are already twice as large in volume as searches around Trump‘s 2016 election. So, it’s not surprising that a Washington Post data reporter, Christopher Ingraham, described the coronavirus trend as the biggest in Google’s history.

In a twitter post, Ingraham said:

“I’ve said this before, but the amount of interest in the Coronavirus is just unreal. I’ve never seen anything like it. Shaping up to be the biggest story in Google trends history.”

While some of the questions involve an immediate threat to health, others are focused on trivialities. For example, the top question earlier last week was, “Does Tom Hanks have coronavirus?”

Here’s an insight into what people in the U.S are asking about COVID–19.

The Coronavirus Trend in the United States and the World

The top-coronavirus related searches in the U.S. suggests that people are interested in celebrities and high-profile people with the illness.

For example, two Los Angeles Lakers players reportedly tested positive for coronavirus. Similarly, British actor Idris Elba confirmed that he also has the disease earlier in the week.

According to Google, searches for “Drive-up coronavirus testing” has surged by over 1,900 percent in the past week. Meanwhile, “Movies to watch during coronavirus” has increased by over 900 percent.

Finally, the question: “Should I be going to the gym during coronavirus?” spiked by over 1,050 percent over the past week.

Across the world, coronavirus-related searches suggest a widespread interest in the health and actions of world leaders. Also, searches for loneliness have reached its highest point since 2004.

According to Google, Iran is at the top of the list for loneliness, followed by Afghanistan and Italy.