Hell’s Kitchen is burning up — with the flu.
The neighborhood is the city’s most infected area — closely followed by the Upper West Side, Carroll Gardens and Elmhurst, Queens, according to a formula created by two upstate professors.
The complex, Twitter-based algorithm maps out areas of New York City that are hardest-hit with virus — and then color-codes the outbreaks in green, yellow and red.
The Germ Tracker Web app pinpoints key words on the social-networking site — like “headache” and “sick” — to flag high-risk areas in the city. The data are available on smartphones and computers.
“It’s amazing. It gives you the opportunity to change your behavior to stay healthy,” said Adam Sadilek, one of the computer scientists who created the system at the University of Rochester.
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As of 5 p.m. yesterday, Hell’s Kitchen, the Upper West Side and East Harlem experienced the most “flu-like” symptoms in Manhattan.
Other “high-risk” neighborhoods included Elmhurst, Carroll Gardens and the East Village.
Hell’s Kitchen residents said they have been wading through a sea of sniffles and coughs for days.
“People around here look sick — they’re afraid,” said Andrew Hamill, a 30-year-old business consultant who lives in the neighborhood.
Many New Yorkers said they would use the app, along with hand-washing and flu shots, to stay healthy.
“If you are traveling from point A to B — and you know what sections of the city to avoid — you should,” said Alicia Pulver, a 35-year-old Upper East Side resident.
The technology comes amid one of the worst flu outbreaks the city has seen in years.
The epidemic has clogged emergency rooms, emptied pharmacy shelves and forced workers to call in sick.
Scientists say the tool empowers health-focused New Yorkers, who can locate flu-infested hot spots in “real time” on the map.
A New Yorker might check it before entering a subway station — then opt to take another route home, Sadilek said.
“Sick tweets” have come in high numbers during the last three weeks, Sadilek said.
They include dozens from Manhattanites who complained about symptoms such as headaches, fevers and sniffles.
“I can’t sleep at all. Achy, headache, cough, freezing, fever, and WAY TOO many thoughts:( ,” tweeted one Queens resident.
An Upper East Sider added, “EVERYONE is sick! The pharmacy was a madhouse.”
Germ Tracker is also tracking the flu in Boston, San Francisco and Rochester.
New Yorkers cheered the idea yesterday, saying it helps them stay healthy.
“It’s probably a good idea for people who get sick really easily,” said student Noah Weitzman.
Others said they would use the technology — if only to soothe their own hypochondriac tendencies.
“I’m super OCD about germs . . . so it would be great to have an app like that,” said Angela Reynolds, 41, of the Upper West Side.
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