Speaking in Italian, he is asked: 'And would this be the security distance for?'

An Italian man has taken extreme measures to ward off coronavirus, after it was classed as a pandemic by the World Health Organization this week.

In a clip shared to Twitter on Wednesday, he strolls along the streets of Rome wearing a giant disc in an attempt to enforce social distancing amid the global outbreak.

There have been 827 deaths from 12,462 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Italy - the most anywhere outside of mainland China. 

The man leaves the social media user who captured his appearance in hysterics as he visits Testaccio market while shielding himself from fellow shoppers in the elaborate object, which he pairs with a tool used to pick up litter.