Amid the outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia (NCP), the World Health Organization (WHO) has offered basic protective measures to the public against the virus.

1. Wash hands frequently with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand rub if your hands are not visibly dirty. This helps eliminating the virus if it's on your hands.

2. Cover your mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue when coughing and sneezing. If you sneeze or cough into your hands, you may contaminate objects or people that you touch. Discard tissue immediately into a closed bin and clean hands with alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.

3. Maintain at least one-meter distance between yourself and other people, particularly those who are coughing, sneezing and have a fever, because coughs or sneezes of people who is infected with a respiratory disease project small droplets containing the virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the virus.

4. Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth because hands touch many surfaces, which can be contaminated with the virus. If you touch your eyes, nose or mouth with your contaminated hands, you can transfer the virus from the surface to yourself.

5. Tell your health care provider if you have traveled in an area in China where the epidemic has been reported, or if you have been in close contact with someone who has traveled from China and has respiratory symptoms.

6. If you have mild symptoms of respiratory infections and have no history of traveling to or within China, practice basic respiratory and hand hygiene carefully and stay at home if possible until you recover.

7. Practice general hygiene measures when visiting live animal markets, wet markets or animal product markets. Strictly avoid any contact with other animals in the market (e.g., stray cats and dogs, rodents, birds, bats). Avoid contact with potentially contaminated animal waste or fluids on the soil or structures of shops and market facilities.

8. Avoid eating raw or undercooked animal products. Handle raw meat, milk, or animal organs carefully to avoid cross-contamination with uncooked food, as per good food safety practices.

The WHO will hold a global forum February 11-12. Bringing together many of the world's health experts, the forum will seek to accelerate research into a vaccine for the novel coronavirus.

(Top image via VCG)