A man turned heads in the centre of Sydney by wearing a hi-tech respirator on his face that looks like something out of a science fiction film.

Workers gawked as the young man crossed George St, in the heart of the city, with his friend and scooter in tow on Wednesday afternoon.

As fears mount over the coronavirus outbreak, the mask-wearer - who gave his name only as John - said it was the only thing that would certainly prevent infection.

'It's the only effective mask that you have,' he told Daily Mail Australia. 'You get them from China and eBay'.

A young man turned heads as he walked through Sydney's CBD wearing a 3M 6800 model respirator on Wednesday afternoon

Daily Mail Australia spoke to the young man, John, and his friend after they crossed George St, at the heart of the city

Face masks have become increasingly popular in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, with 123 people in Australia testing positive to the virus.

Regardless, the young man's commitment to protecting himself drew stares and joking comparisons to Star Wars villain Darth Vader or Bane from Marvel Comics.

The mask is marketed online as a 3M 6800 Full Face Reusable Respirator and is described as 'simple to use and comfortable to wear'.

Its filters and cartridges 'provide respiratory protection against particulates and a variety of gases and vapours', the 3M website said.

The reusable respirator John is wearing is a 3M branded P3 full face mask. It has 'wide field of vision'

The heavy-duty mask raised joking comparisons to Star Wars villain Darth Vader (left) and Marvel's Bane (right)

People who aren't suffering symptoms don't have to go to the same lengths, officials said.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 26,651 Victoria: 19,835 New South Wales: 4,166 Queensland: 1,149 Western Australia: 659 South Australia: 466 Tasmania: 230 Australian Capital Territory: 113 Northern Territory: 33 TOTAL CASES: 26,651 CURRENT ACTIVE CASES: 1,340 DEATHS: 810 Updated: 9.56 PM, 13 September, 2020 Advertisement

'Face masks are not recommended for the general population,' a NSW Health fact sheet said.

'People who have symptoms and might be infected with COVID-19 are required to stay in isolation at home and should wear a surgical face mask when in the same room as another person and when seeking medical advice to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 to anyone else.'

Health care workers are urged to use 'appropriate personal protective equipment.'

Four new coronavirus cases were confirmed in NSW on Wednesday afternoon, taking the state's total to 65.

The new patients include three women in their 20s and 30s who recently returned from Italy together. The fourth - a man in his 70s - is a contact of a resident at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home linked to two deaths.