The man was wearing a giant cardboard disk for social distancing amid coronavirus scare. | Screengrab from video

Rome: An Italian man was spotted wearing a giant cardboard circle after the World Health Organisation classed the novel coronavirus as a pandemic. A video being shared on social media shows a man walking on the streets of Rome while wearing a giant disc to enforce social distancing has gone viral.

The man was shielding himself from other shoppers in the Testaccio market. He was also carrying a tool to pick up litter.

When someone asks him, "And would this be the security distance for?" He responds, "For coronavirus". This prompted the filmer to say, "Wonderful. I can't cope!"

Watch the viral video here:

The video is doing rounds on social media, leaving social media in splits.

The Italian government decided to shut all stores except for pharmacies and food shops on Thursday. The move was taken to prevent the spread of the deadly virus that killed over 1,000 people in Italy. The total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in the country is more than 15,000.

The country has also ordered shutting of schools, gyms, museums, nightclubs and other venues across the country. People are lining up outside ration shops to stock daily necessities.

The government has ordered a lockdown in the country and asked people to stay at their homes in a bid to halt the spread of the virus. Reports suggest that millions of people have been quarantined.

Meanwhile, India has reported 81 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including one death. The Ministry of Civil Aviation stressed that bringing back Indian nationals from Italy.