diff --git a/src/components/SearchPanelNavigation.js b/src/components/SearchPanelNavigation.js
index 59f9eb65b7..0bc3ff85d5 100644
--- a/src/components/SearchPanelNavigation.js
+++ b/src/components/SearchPanelNavigation.js
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ export class SearchPanelNavigation extends Component {
             >
               <ChevronLeftIcon style={iconStyle} />
             </MiradorMenuButton>
-            <span style={{ unicodeBidi: 'plaintext' }}>
+            <span role="status" style={{ unicodeBidi: 'plaintext' }}>
               {t('pagination', { current: currentHitIndex + 1, total: lengthText })}
             </span>
             <MiradorMenuButton
diff --git a/src/components/ViewerInfo.js b/src/components/ViewerInfo.js
index e9ec8a8175..511c76bee2 100644
--- a/src/components/ViewerInfo.js
+++ b/src/components/ViewerInfo.js
@@ -20,10 +20,10 @@ export class ViewerInfo extends Component {
 
     return (
       <div className={classNames(ns('osd-info'), classes.osdInfo)}>
-        <Typography display="inline" variant="caption" className={ns('canvas-count')}>
+        <Typography display="inline" role="status" variant="caption" className={ns('canvas-count')}>
           { t('pagination', { current: canvasIndex + 1, total: canvasCount }) }
         </Typography>
-        <Typography display="inline" variant="caption" className={ns('canvas-label')}>
+        <Typography display="inline" role="status" variant="caption" className={ns('canvas-label')}>
           {canvasLabel && ` • ${canvasLabel}`}
         </Typography>
       </div>