Cambodian villager Ek Chan believes she has found a way to avoid the coronavirus, not with masks or social distancing but rather the scarecrows she has made to keep the deadly virus at bay.

Ek Chan's two scarecrows, known locally as "Ting Mong", guard the gate of her house in Kandal province near the capital Phnom Penh, giving her peace of mind.

The practice has existed for more than a century in some Cambodian villages, where residents like 64-year-old Ek Chan trust their ability to fend off evil spirits and disease.