Google Maps now displays hotspots with coronavirus in latest alternative layers

Google, the Internet search company, revealed that this week it would upgrade its free Maps programme with color-coding that shows areas afflicted with COVID-19, a disease caused by the new coronavirus. The search giant said Maps would be improved in a published blog post if a user selects the latest “COVID-19” alternative in the layers function in the top corner of the app.

It will have statistics using the current averages of cases of seven days per 100,000 persons in areas being displayed, it added. According to Maps product manager Sujoy Banerjee, a mark would also let users know whether the number of COVID-19 cases in a given location is trending up or down. “You could find additional information related to COVID-19 in certain areas. If you click the warning on the home screen of Google Maps, depending on your current map view, you can find geographically specific links,” it said.

The instrument is intended to provide “important knowledge about cases of COVID-19 in an environment so that you can make more educated decisions on where to go and what to do,” said Banerjee. According to Banerjee, information used in the COVID layer comes from sources like Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Hospital, the New York Times, and Wikipedia, which, according to Banerjee, obtains information from public health networks such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and government health ministries.

“Black, according to the Google Map color legend, suggests” less than 1 occurrence, “dark orange means” 20-30 instances, “and dark red, the biggest, displays” 40 + instances. “The COVID layer is rolling out this week worldwide in versions of the map app customized for mobile devices operated by Apple or Google-backed Android apps, the California-based company said. Pandemic-related measures such as letting people know where public transport is going to be busy have been included in Google Maps.

“Although travelling around these days is more difficult, our hope is that these features of Google Maps can help you get where you need to be as secure and successful as possible,” Banerjee said. Business-related notices, traffic alerts, restaurant takeout and delivery offers, and locating and reserving online services are among the similar services available.