AN expert has claimed deadly coronavirus can be spread through the EYES after he contracted the disease, despite wearing a protective mask.

Dr Wang Guangfa has now theorised the similar coronavirus may be transmitted through the eye after testing positive following an eye infection.

4 Dr Wang Guangfa has theorised the virus may be contactable through the eye Credit: AsiaWire

Mr Wang was a leading was a leading figure in the fight against SARS virus that gripped China in 2003.

The doctor now says he believes he contracted the virus due to not donning protective eyewear.

He was criticised by some when he contracted the virus two weeks ago after saying it could be prevented and controlled.

However, despite his best efforts he fell ill.

Mr Wang said: "At that time we were highly vigilant and wore N95 masks.

"But then I suddenly realised that we didn’t wear protective glasses.”

After returning to Beijing from visiting fever clinics in Wuhan - where the virus originated - he developed conjunctivitis in his left eye within hours.

It comes as...

The death toll has climbed to 41 with more than 1,200 confirmed cases

China has placed a lockdown on the Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak

Fourteen people in the UK have been tested for coronavirus with five confirmed negative and nine still awaiting the results

Authorities are monitoring the virus with fears millions of people will travel for the Lunar New Year

The World Health Organisation is yet to declare a global public health emergency

The doc was then struck down with a fever, but says he assumed he had the flu after seeing no evidence linking eye infections to the disease in his research.

But when flu meds failed, Mr Wang opted for a coronavirus test that came back positive.

The expert claims the most likely explanation for this is the respiratory disease is contactable through the eye.

China's National Health Commission expert, Li Lanjuan advises medical staff who regularly come in contact with coronavirus patients to wear protective eye gear, but the general public should be fine with just face masks.

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The disease has now spread across the globe, with over ten suspected cases in the UK.

And there are fears it could strike 350,000 in Wuhan alone as deaths mount.

The death toll now stands at 26 with more than 800 confirmed cases of the deadly mutating bug.