With the country in the midst of cold season, millions of sneezing searchers are hitting the web to find flu relief, and Google has stepped in to potentially change how flu outbreaks are monitored with a new feature -- Google Flu Trends.

Tests suggest the tool may be able to determine a flu outbreak a week to 10 days before it is reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to The New York Times.

Google analyzes where searches such as "flu symptoms" come from, and that data is compiled into graphs and maps of the country as they come in. CDC reports are typically slower because they rely on data from health care providers and labs. But when it comes to flu outbreaks, speed is of the essence.

"The earlier the warning, the earlier prevention and control measures can be put in place, and this could prevent cases of influenza," said Dr. Lyn Finelli of the CDC's influenza division.

The tool comes from Google.org, the search giant's philanthropic unit, and may only be the tip of the iceberg. The company hopes it can launch similar efforts to monitor diseases worldwide.