Kourtney Kardashian dons a black mask as she protects herself from coronavirus while jetting into Paris
- More than 83,000 people worldwide have been struck down with COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus
- The death toll stands at almost 2,900 – up from just 200 at the end of January
- Over 800 cases of the killer coronavirus have now been recorded across Europe, with 655 of them in Italy
- Northern Italy has locked down 11 towns in a desperate attempt to contain the crisis
- Despite the precaution, one medical expert recently told MailOnline that masks 'cannot' protect against the virus and that wearing them may even make it worse
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Kourtney Kardashian donned a face mask to protect herself from coronavirus as she jetted into Paris on Saturday.
The reality star, 40, arrived into the city of love with sister Kim Kardashian and her husband Kanye West, with the trio taking precautions against the virus epidemic as they arrived in Europe.
Kourtney was seen wearing a black face mask and shades, with her raven locks tied into a ponytail as she walked through an airport.
The mask looks similar to a $50 one sold on Wish, which features an aluminium adjustable nose clip that ensures a tight seal and helps avid fogging.
![Precaution: Kourtney Kardashian donned a face mask to protect herself from coronavirus as she jetted into Paris on Saturday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/02/29/23/25372884-0-image-m-6_1583017671476.jpg)
Precaution: Kourtney Kardashian donned a face mask to protect herself from coronavirus as she jetted into Paris on Saturday
![The mask looks similar to a $50 one sold on Wish (pictured), which features an aluminium adjustable nose clip that ensures a tight seal and helps avid fogging](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/01/07/25384234-8060733-image-a-11_1583046865247.jpg)
The mask looks similar to a $50 one sold on Wish (pictured), which features an aluminium adjustable nose clip that ensures a tight seal and helps avid fogging
The star layered up after her long-haul flight in a long leather coat as she chatted with friends.
The KUWTK star paired this with flared jeans and heels as she headed to a waiting car.
The Kardashians regularly jet to Europe during fashion week season, with Kim, 39, and Kanye, 42, frequenting Paris.
Despite the precaution, one medical expert recently told MailOnline that masks 'cannot' protect against the virus and that wearing them may even make it worse.
![Mask: The reality star, 40, arrived into the city of love with sister Kim Kardashian and her husband Kanye West, with the trio taking precautions against the virus epidemic as they arrived in Europe.](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/01/02/25372878-8060733-Mask_The_reality_star_40_arrived_into_the_city_of_love_with_sist-a-46_1583029561719.jpg)
Mask: The reality star, 40, arrived into the city of love with sister Kim Kardashian and her husband Kanye West, with the trio taking precautions against the virus epidemic as they arrived in Europe.
![Customers raved about a similar looking mask (pictured) online, saying it had good quality fabric](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/01/07/25384232-8060733-image-a-12_1583046893077.jpg)
Customers raved about a similar looking mask (pictured) online, saying it had good quality fabric
Meanwhile Public Health England has warned that there is 'very little evidence' that masks are effective 'outside of clinical settings' such as hospitals.
Yet recent testing by the Health and Safety Executive has found that any kind of protection is better than nothing.
The way you wear a mask is crucially importantly, academics say, because unless it is tight to the nose and mouth contaminated sneezes and coughs will get through - or linger on the surface.
Professor Brendan Wren from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said that masks will not stop people from becoming infected and may even worsen its spread.
He said: 'The masks won't protect against the virus because it's so tiny. It is thousands of times smaller than bacteria.
![Epidemic: Kourtney was seen wearing a black face mask and shades, with her raven locks tied into a ponytail as she walked through an airport](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/02/29/23/25372876-8060733-Epidemic_Kourtney_was_seen_wearing_a_black_face_mask_and_shades_-m-18_1583019487789.jpg)
Epidemic: Kourtney was seen wearing a black face mask and shades, with her raven locks tied into a ponytail as she walked through an airport
'I don't think they do any good. They are smaller than air particles for pollution that we worry about. It will simply be breathed in.'
He added that masks may make the spread of the virus more likely if they become damp.
'They may make matters worse, [such as] if they become damp. If you have a cold or sneezing, sneezing into a mask can make matters worse.'
He added: 'The main purpose is a psychological thing they make people more aware but physically they are not a prevention'.
Dr Stephen Griffin, Associate Professor Section of Infection & Immunity, University of Leeds, said: 'Standard facemasks provide relatively little protection from respiratory aerosols – they can stop larger droplets and some studies have estimated an approx. 5-fold protection versus no barrier alone.
Also, once they are worn for a time, they become moistened and protection diminishes further. Exhaled droplets also reduce in size quickly by evaporation, and of course virus particles are far smaller than the fibre mesh in these sorts of masks.
![Trip: Kourtney is also believed to have jetted to Europe with sister Kim Kardashian, 39, and her husband Kanye West, 42 (pictured February 9)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/01/02/25378864-8060733-image-a-48_1583029901883.jpg)
Trip: Kourtney is also believed to have jetted to Europe with sister Kim Kardashian, 39, and her husband Kanye West, 42 (pictured February 9)
'However, wearing a mask can reduce the propensity for people to touch their faces, which happens many more times a day than we all realise and is a major source of infection without proper hand hygiene.
They are also useful for people that are themselves symptomatic in stopping coughs and sneezes, primarily by encouraging good 'etiquette', i.e. catch it, bin it, kill it…
'There are higher specification masks that contain filters and, when properly fitted and sealed, provide significantly better protection. However, these aren't as easy to come by and are obviously more expensive.'
The World Health Organisation said masks had to be combined with good hand hygiene and other measures for them to have any positive effect.
They recommended that masks should only be worn by those with a cough, fever, or who people who have difficulty breathing.
They added: 'The main purpose is a psychological thing they make people more aware but physically they are not a prevention.'
A coronavirus is a type of virus which can cause illness in animals and people. Viruses break into cells inside their host and use them to reproduce itself and disrupt the body's normal functions.
![Graphic: More than 800 cases of the killer coronavirus have now been recorded across Europe, with 655 of them in Italy – which has locked down 11 towns in a desperate attempt to contain the crisis](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/03/01/02/25265606-8060733-Graphic_More_than_800_cases_of_the_killer_coronavirus_have_now_b-a-47_1583029561721.jpg)
Graphic: More than 800 cases of the killer coronavirus have now been recorded across Europe, with 655 of them in Italy – which has locked down 11 towns in a desperate attempt to contain the crisis
Coronaviruses are named after the Latin word 'corona', which means crown, because they are encased by a spiked shell which resembles a royal crown.
The coronavirus from Wuhan is one which has never been seen before this outbreak. It has been named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The name stands for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2.
Experts say the bug, which has killed around one in 50 patients since the outbreak began in December, is a 'sister' of the SARS illness which hit China in 2002, so has been named after it.
The disease that the virus causes has been named COVID-19, which stands for coronavirus disease 2019.
France has now had 100 confirmed coronavirus cases, with the country;s health minister saying France was in 'stage 2' of the epidemic.
The death toll stands at almost 2,900 – up from just 200 at the end of January
Over 800 cases of the killer coronavirus have now been recorded across Europe, with 655 of them in Italy
The first case of coronavirus confirmed in the Irish Republic is a man who contracted the killer virus in northern Italy.
Health authorities are now trying to establish what contacts the patient had in Ireland since travelling from one of the areas badly affected by the outbreak.
Ireland's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the patient was receiving medical care.
Tonight's announcement comes as three more patients from England tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of UK cases to 23.
Just 48 hours ago, the first case in Northern Ireland was made public - as it's revealed more than 10,000 Britons have now been tested for the deadly virus
Most watched News videos
- Ukrainian sniper fires at two Russian soldiers with grenade launchers
- Chancellor Rachel Reeves 'under no illusions' of GDP challenge
- Moscow woman reports live: 'Where are we supposed to run to?'
- Tory MP Robert Jenrick dodges Tory leadership 'dirty tricks' query
- Princess Sofia shows baby bump at Parliament State Opening
- Hairbrush and women's clothes found in tunnel where hostages died
- Moment 'drunk' Brit and his wife are hauled off Ryanair flight
- Moment of 'Ukrainian kamikaze drone attack' on Moscow building
- MPs in Commons react to plan to means test winter fuel payments
- Man who turned house into cannabis farm caught in police raid
- 'I'm on a bench tonight': Former convict prefers prison over freedom
- Audi fails to stop after hitting a pensioner in Keighley, Yorkshire