Google Maps will now display number of COVID-19 cases in an area – The Next Web

As the holiday season is getting close, many folks might be planning to travel someplace. However, because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s important to take precautions and know the situation of the area you’re visiting.

To help you with that, Google Maps is rolling out new information related to COVID-19 in a particular area. The app will now display the total number of cases and deaths till now and a 7-day trend indicating if the numbers are going up or down. Plus, you’ll also get to access local guidelines, restrictions, and information related to testing centers.

Google Maps will display all-time detected COVID-19 cases in an area and links to local, authoritative resources right from the COVID layer.

This will help you make a decision if you want to cancel or postpone your trip. In August, the company rolled out a feature that lets you find hotels allowing free cancelation during the pandemic. Later in September, Google introduced a COVID-19 layer in Maps to assist people in finding containment zones.

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Google Maps is also rolling out its crowdedness feature worldwide to indicate congestion on a public transport ride. This information is based on real-time input from app users onboard a train or a bus. It’ll help you avoid a particular ride and catch the next one to maintain social distancing.

Information about how crowded is a public transport ride

Both features are rolling out to Android and iOS Maps users globally in the coming weeks.

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Published November 18, 2020 — 05:53 UTC