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During the pandemic, Google has been working to provide useful information to people through some of the company’s most popular products. The company has been putting COVID-19 reminders and warnings on many of Google’s services, and you can’t use a Google product without being reminded to take necessary precautions, such as wearing a mask. The company has even added various tips to Google Maps, including where to get takeout during the coronavirus pandemic. Now, it looks like you will soon be able to map your coronavirus tracking apps. The company is now reportedly working to add a new layer in the Google Maps app that will provide important information about the COVID-19 outbreak to users.
The company will soon add a new layer in Maps that shows where the worst coronavirus outbreaks are, according to Jane Manchun Wong. Wong is a coder famous for his reverse engineering applications to discover new features and tools before they are announced. The new discovery regarding Google Maps was first discovered by Jane Manchun Wong who posted screenshots on Twitter showing this feature. The feature will be available in the ‘Map details’ section of the app, and you can access that section by clicking a white circle with a square on top of another square in the right corner of the Google Maps app on your smartphone. Notably, the company has not yet implemented the new feature.
Users can also access other map options from this menu, including Satellite and Terrain, and map details such as Traffic, Street View, and Transportation. The new feature shows the number of COVID-19 outbreaks in a specific state and country in the US The data also indicates whether COVID-19 cases are increasing or decreasing in that region. According to Jane Manchun Wong, when the ‘COVID-19 Information’ feature is enabled on Google Maps, a pop-up window explains the information and where it comes from. The numbers displayed in various areas show the 7-day average of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. Google Maps draws data from Johns Hopkins University, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, The NY Times, and Wikipedia.
Based on the screenshots, the feature appears to work internationally, with the United States showing COVID-19 cases at the state level. Although it is not yet clear if or when the company will implement the COVID-19 reporting function, it is likely to be useful for those who have to travel. Of course, we must avoid travel if possible and minimize contact with people to stop the spread of the virus.
Read next: Google Maps ‘perfects’ through DeepMind’s artificial intelligence model
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