People are making coronavirus masks out of fruit, bras, water cooler bottles and even sanitary pads

Resourceful Chinese citizens are fashioning coronavirus masks out of water bottles, fruit, sanitary pads and even bras as supplies dry up.

As surgical mask supplies dry up across China and many other countries, people are getting creative in a bid to protect themselves against the exploding coronavirus epidemic.

There are now more than 8200 confirmed cases of 2019-nCoV worldwide and 171 deaths, all of them in China.

At least seven people have contracted the disease in Australia but that figure is likely to soar over coming days as authorities investigate dozens of suspected cases.

Photographs of people using scooped-out grapefruits and oranges, motorcycle helmets and even sanitary pads are being shared across social media.

The Associated Press even put out a video showing how to fashion two face masks out of a bra.

Hospitals are not immune to the shortage, with staff at one putting out a video showing how to make a face covering from a plastic document sleeve.

The desperate measures come as footage emerged of second-hand masks being redistributed and people boiling their masks and hanging them up to dry.

Chinese authorities have warned people to discard their masks after four hours but there are simply not enough of them to go around, forcing people to improvise.

While researchers have yet to establish all the different ways the virus can be spread from person to person, it is believed to transmit via infected saliva and mucus.

Many people are going for whole head coverings after a Chinese doctor who contracted the virus while treating patients in Wuhan said he believed he was infected through his eyes.

Here are some of the best DIY efforts.

FRUIT

An elderly man sports and orange peel and string mask at Beijing airport. Picture: Weibo

A child grins from behind her orange rind number. Picture: Weibo

This man has done an excellent job with a half a melon and a pair of shoelaces. Picture: Weibo

Lemon and elastic. Picture: Twitter

His and hers: Two people, one melon. Picture: Weibo

THE BRA

You are wearing a bra? Face masks are out of stock! pic.twitter.com/zNAAmpHbfJ

— felicialiew (@felicialiewsze1) January 30, 2020

Let me introduce everyone to the Bra Mask.
Don't know how effective it will be against the #WuhanVirus, or if will survive Ann Chiangs boiling pots. pic.twitter.com/7ZZbJBUq3C

— 🇮🇪let them fly business class🇭🇰 (@decminhk) January 30, 2020

THE SANITARY PAD

This woman has fortified her surgical mask with a sanitary pad. Picture: Weibo

THE WATER COOLER BOTTLE

Children sport water cooler bottles over their heads at Beijing Picture: Getty Images

Images like this are fast becoming iconic. Picture: Getty Images

A man shops at a Chinese supermarket. Picture: Weibo

The Darth Vader: This man has used two smaller bottles as filters. Picture: Weibo

Just casually waiting in line. Picture: Weibo

Shopping at the fruit market with a water cooler bottle and a scooter helmet. Picture: Weibo

This woman is wearing a mask and a water bottle. Picture: Supplied

THE PREPPER

This man has paired a sanding mask with swimming goggles. Picture: Weibo

There’s a lot going on here. Picture: Supplied

Ski goggles are also proving popular. Picture: Twitter

PLASTIC BAGS

This family weren’t taking any chances, opting for the full body plastic bag coverings. Picture: Supplied

This woman has paired a shopping bag with a mask. Picture: Weibo

This child is safe inside a giant clear shopping bag. Picture: Weibo