Microsoft has launched its own COVID-19 tracker, which helps spread information about the disease caused by the novel coronavirus that is currently attacking the world.
Microsoft Launches COVID-19 Tracker
According to The Verge, the interactive Bing map known as the Bing COVID-19 Tracker lets users see the amount of confirmed COVID-19 cases by country, including the currently active cases, fatal cases, and the number of recovered cases.
While users can see the total number of cases per country, the information is available per state in the United States.
Besides showing the total number of cases, the tracker can also be used to provide relevant news and videos from each nation when you click on a specific country. However, it seems like the related news isn't the most timely.
Needs More Work?
Jesus Diaz of Tom's Guide also has the same sentiments about the tracker, saying that it is useful. Still, it requires more work, specifically about letting the user know how many cases are confirmed near their area.
As of now, the tracker hasn't changed yet, and users still can't see cases in their regions, which could help them stay up to date, especially in cities on lockdown.
Nevertheless, it seems as though the tracker is updating their numbers.
When asked where they acquire their information, Microsoft says the tracker is pulling their data from various sources, including the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Wikipedia.
The tools' UX is fluid, so users on smartphones and tablets can quickly check the tracker for updates, as it adapts to every screen size.
Google Will Launch Its Own COVID-19-centric Website
Besides Microsoft, several other companies are also aiming to provide information about the novel coronavirus and the status of different countries.
Among them is another tech giant: Google.
As per Google CEO Sundar Pichai's blog post, the company is working with the US government to create a website that centers on providing useful information about COVID-19, including educating people on how to prevent it, as well as offering local resources.
The website should arrive any time soon, as Pichai promised its initial version would be available "late Monday."
Besides the website, Google is also promoting the "Do the Five" campaign to help raise awareness of simple preventive measures anyone can do to help slow the spread of the virus.
WARNING! Fake COVID-19 Tracker App
In related news, cybercriminals are using the ongoing worldwide health crisis for their heinous crimes.
According to Help Net Security, the DomainTools cybersecurity team has found out the cybercriminals' latest scheme, which is disguising ransomware as a fake COVID-19 tracker that could be downloaded on Android smartphones.
Experts are warning against the malicious domain (coronavirusapp[.]site) and fake COVID-19 tracker (Covid 19 Tracker).
Based on the report, once the tracker app is downloaded and installed, it will lock the user's phone and will demand $100 in Bitcoin within 48 hours, or else all contents of the phone will be deleted.
To those who fell victim to this scheme, the researchers have reverse engineered the decryption key that can unlock their phones, which is 4865083501.
