Haunting pictures show dead man left lying in street of deserted coronavirus ground zero

THIS is the chilling moment a cyclist casually rides past the body of a pensioner who dropped dead in the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.

Police and medics in hazmat suits were later seen inspecting the corpse on a deserted pavement in crisis-hit Wuhan.

Although it's not known if the grey-haired man died of the killer bug, it is clear from these pictures the authorities were taking no chances.

After being inspected the body was eventually zipped into a medical bag and carried into a van before the street was thoroughly disinfected.

Those who examined him were also sprayed down by colleagues after removing their protective suits.

One onlooker said she believed the local had died from an illness caused by the killer virus.

What we know about coronavirus so far...

• The deadly virus today hit Britain as TWO patients were confirmed to be infected
• The global death toll has reached 213 with more than 9,000 cases - surpassing SARS infection in China
• The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak a global health emergency on an unprecedented scale
• The Foreign Office warned against "all but essential travel" to the country because of the virus outbreak
• British Airways suspended all flights to and from mainland China
• The first human-to-human transmissions in people who haven't been to China have been reported

"It's terrible," she said. "These days many people have died."

The man collapsed just one block from the Wuhan Number Six Hospital, one of the main medical centres for treating those with virus symptoms.

The Sun Online has already told how Wuhan has been dubbed zombieland amid reports locals had been dropping in the streets.

In one disturbing image, one victim seen lying unresponsive on the ground while medics wearing masks tried to revive him.

According to reports, he was waiting in line for paperwork when he lost consciousness and slumped to the ground.

Another horrifying picture showed a man reportedly dead on the ground with blood pouring from his head.

Wuhan is the centre of the outbreak of the outbreak, which is said to have jumped to humans from wild animals sold at a city food market .

The virus, which emerged late last year, has  already infected thousands in China and has cost around 160 lives in Wuhan in the alone.

The global death toll for the virus has now hit 213 with more than 9,000 people affected by the outbreak.

The news comes as The World health Organisation's (WHO) emergency committee declared an international public health emergency over the coronavirus outbreak.

Wuhan is currently a ghost town, with many staying indoors as experts warned the deadly bug will become a worldwide pandemic if governments do not impose heavy global travel bans.

The UK Government has advised against "all but essential" travel to mainland China due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Tests on nine of the first infected Chinese patients revealed the disease spread to humans from an animal sold at Wuhan's Huanan seafood market.

China's market watchdog, agricultural ministry and forestry bureau announced a nationwide temporary ban on the wildlife trade last week.

Any places that breed wildlife should be isolated, and the transportation of wildlife should be banned, said the statement.