Nowcasting and forecasting provincial-level SARS-CoV-2 case positivity using google search data in South Africa

Data from non-traditional data sources, such as social media, search engines, and remote sensing, have previously demonstrated utility for disease surveillance. Few studies, however, have focused on countries in Africa, particularly during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. In this study, we use searches of COVID-19 symptoms, questions, and at-home remedies submitted to Google to model COVID-19 in South Africa, and assess how well the Google search data forecast short-term COVID-19 trends. Our findings suggest that information seeking trends on COVID-19 could guide models for anticipating COVID-19 trends and coordinating appropriate response measures.