Huge coronavirus guidance sign has gone up on the side of one of the region's busiest roads

The sign is situated on the central reservation of the A194 Leam Lane near to the The Lakeside pub in Jarrow, leading up to the roundabout.

It bears the Government's national guidance to members of the public following the outbreak of the coronavirus which has affected more than 200 people in the UK so far.

The cases of the illness (COVID-19) were first reported in Hubei Province, China, in December 2019 and since then, further cases of the virus have been confirmed in a number of countries.

Typical symptoms of coronavirus include fever and a cough that may progress to a severe pneumonia causing shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.

Generally, coronavirus can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes and chronic lung disease.

The sign in South Tyneside bears the heading ‘reduce your risk of coronavirus’ along with the guidance to 'wash your hands with soap, avoid close contact with those who have flu like symptoms and cover your nose/mouth when coughing and sneezing.’

The sign also highlights the symptoms of coronavirus stating that they are fever, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing, before urging anyone with the symptoms to call 111 and not visit A&E.

As of 9am on March 8, 2020, four cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in the North East and a total of 273 cases have been confirmed in the UK.

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office has issued guidance for British people travelling and living overseas following the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, and in other countries worldwide.

It is urging people to stay indoors and avoid contact with others if they have travelled to the UK from the places on its list of designated affected areas in the last 14 days – even if they do not have symptoms.

The full list can be found here on the Gazette website and the Gov.UK website.