Victoria University, a private owned institution has issued guidelines on how its students and the general public should safeguard themselves from getting the world’s deadly coronavirus.

The guidelines were in a notice from the university’s faculty of health sciences, where students have been alerted to wash their hands regularly with an alcoholic-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

“Make sure that you and the people around you follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your hand elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose all the used tissue immediately,” the Ugandan university advised.

“Maintain at least one metre distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.” The notice adds.

Victoria is the first university in Uganda to issue a public notice to its students and staff warning them about the epidemic which has locked down the entire global economy. There are over 50 universities in Uganda.

On Friday, the World Health Organization warned that Europe has now become the “epicentre” for the pandemic, called COVID-19, reporting more daily cases than China did at the height of its outbreak.

The pandemic’s global death toll has reached almost 5,000, while the global number of cases has surpassed 132,000, according to the WHO, which is the health agency of the United Nations. About 68,000 victims have recovered, according to Johns Hopkins University, which is tracking the virus.

Meanwhile, the virus has spread to at least 18 countries on the African continent, with Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan and Guinea all confirming their first cases on Friday.