Check Out This Map of Nearby Coronavirus Cases on WeChat
By Ryan Gandolfo
Every day we read about newly confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), an illness that’s captivated both China and the world. With more than 70,000 confirmed cases, many cities throughout the Middle Kingdom are going to great lengths to combat the spread of the disease known as Covid-19.
On WeChat, you can access a map that shows confirmed cases of the virus near your home. (And yes, it’s scary.) The map is available for all major Chinese cities (excluding Wuhan), and includes the names of residential areas where cases have been discovered, as well as the date each case was confirmed.
Below, we give you a quick breakdown on how to access this coronavirus map:
1. Access Top Stories
Click on the Discover tab at the bottom of the app to access WeChat’s Top Stories. (Missing the ‘Top Stories’ tab? If so, enter your WeChat settings and click on ‘General’, then tap ‘Manage Discover’. Lastly, swipe to include ‘Top Stories’ to your list.)
Screengrab via WeChat
2. Open Coronavirus Real-time Developments
Upon opening Top Stories, you’ll see an image that includes four categories: confirmed coronavirus cases, suspected, cured and dead. Click to access.
Screengrab via WeChat
3. Access ‘Epidemic Situation’ in the Neighborhood
Next, you’ll need to find ‘Epidemic Services’ (疫情服务) and click on ‘Epidemic Situation Community’ (疫情小区) to access the map.
4. Check Out the Map
Click ‘Yes’ to allow the app to access your location, or search for your city in the top-left corner. Now you can see all of the confirmed coronavirus cases near you. The color of the virus markers ranges from the time the cases were confirmed. Although this may be frightening depending on which city you live in, we hope you find this map of some use.
Screengrab via WeChat
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[Cover image via WeChat]
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