Facebook and Instagram have added messages to its feeds to encourage people to wear face masks. On Facebook, an alert appears at the top of the News Feed that directs users to the COVID-19 Information Center, with links to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for more information, while Instagram has included similar prompts and links.

In a statement, Facebook said the move is in response to the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in America, which rose by over 50,000 last week. As of today (July 7), there’s been 2.9 million cases of coronavirus in the US and 132,000 deaths.

The current CDC recommendation is for people to wear masks in public to reduce the risk of possible infection, while protecting ourselves and others.

Elsewhere, a Japanese startup has developed a smart face mask, called the “c-mask”, that can record conversations, transcribe them into text messages via BlueTooth, and translate them into nine languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, French, Korean, Thai, Bahasa, Spanish, and Vietnamese. It can also make calls, take down minute meetings, and amplify a wearer’s voice.