Footage has emerged of a Chinese man on horseback in a full set of armour guarding the entrance to his village amid the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak.

The mystery warrior and inhabitant of an unidentified village reportedly took it upon himself to enforce the Chinese government's lock down measures in order to curb the deadly pneumonia-like virus.

Video circulating on social media shows the devoted villager in a full set of armour position himself and his trusty steed in the middle of the road.

He points at a stopped car with his guandao - a Chinese weapon made from a thick blade attached to a wooden pole - and faces off with the motorist who is reportedly trying to enter his village during the lock down period.

The helmet-wearing village warrior, who is not alone in manning the checkpoint leading in and out of the area, was apparently ready to gallop after the vehicle had the driver tried to force their way through.

The armed villager approaches the car with his large blade, or guandao, to face off with the motorist reportedly trying to enter his village

He positions himself in front of the car, blocking the driver's path. He is reportedly doing this to stop anyone who may be infected with the coronavirus from entering his village

Disease prevention efforts have been stepped up and tensions towards possible coronavirus hosts are rising as the death toll from the respiratory disease rises to at least 490 in mainland China and 492 worldwide.

More than 24,300 are confirmed to have been infected by the new strain of coronavirus, which is thought to have begun at a so-called 'wet market' in Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei Province.