Google adds a COVID-19 layer to Maps app to show health status at county and state levels

Google Maps now has a COVID-19 layer that tracks how cases are trending at a county level on the mobile version of the app. You can see how cases are increasing or decreasing in your area as well as any places you may be visiting.

To see COVID-19 data for a particular location, tap the layers button on the top right-hand corner and click on COVID-19 Info. You’ll see a number and “increasing” or “decreasing.” 

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This number is the seven-day average for the number of new cases per 100,000 people. The layer’s colors indicate:

• Grey: Less than 1 case
• Yellow: 1-10 cases
• Orange: 10-20 cases
• Dark orange: 20-30 cases
• Red: 30-40 cases
• Dark red: 40+ cases

This count includes both confirmed and probable cases in some locations. Probable cases are identified by public health officials and use criteria developed by government authorities. Some areas may not have data because local authorities haven’t published data or haven’t done so recently.

If you zoom out to the state level on a map of the US, there is a count for each state and an increasing or decreasing indicator with a matching color code.

In Europe, there is more data for some countries than others. Germany is gray, and the COVID-19 map layer shows data for individual states within the country. In France, there is data at the country level only with a rate of 14.8 cases per 100,000 which is increasing. Most of Asia is gray. 

The data comes from these sources:

• Wikipedia
• The New York Times
• Johns Hopkins University CSSE COVID-19 Data
• Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation

The Kaiser Family Foundation lists 34 states as coronavirus hotspots. Utah’s positivity rate is 9.1% with a 104.5% change in cases over the last 14 days. If you zoom in to the county level, you can see that Utah County (65.5, increasing) is in worse shape than Salt Lake County (28, increasing). Many of the state’s rural areas are gray and show few cases. Overall the state is light orange.

In June, Google Maps added more information about transit conditions to help travelers avoid crowded metro and train stations. When you look up public transit directions for a trip, the recommended routes show relevant alerts from local transit agencies. These alerts can help you prepare accordingly if government mandates impact transit services or require you to wear a mask on public transportation. Transit alerts rolled out in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, India, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain, Thailand, United Kingdom and the U.S. where we have information from local transit agencies. 

This update also included driving alerts about COVID-19 checkpoints and restrictions along certain routes, such as national borders (starting first in Canada, Mexico, and the US). Maps users see an alert on the directions screen and after starting navigation if the route is impacted by these restrictions. 

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