Mountain View, California - Google Maps has been around for over 15 years, but it's never standing still. The latest update released for the service has a very timely feature.

As a result of the ongoing pandemic, which shows little sign of slowing down, Google has come up with a vital new function. From now on, Android and iOS users can check the number of coronavirus cases in different countries. 

But how does it work?

You simply open Google Maps on your phone and click on the round "Layers" icon at the top.

Under "Map Details", you can now select  "Covid-19 Info", which will show you the current situation in any country where Google Maps is available!

On its website, Google provides more details about the new update. 

The map displays the number of new cases in the last 7 days per 100,000 people and will change color depending on the local Covid-19 caseload.

Gray indicates less than one new case, while dark red means there are more than 40 new cases.

The sources for the case numbers are Wikipedia, The New York Times, Johns Hopkins University, and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

In addition, Google Maps will now notify you if you are affected by coronavirus restrictions while on a trip, and restaurants will provide clearer information on whether they offer a delivery service or not.