Wang Guangfa, a leading health expert who was researching the ongoing pneumonia outbreak, is suspected of contracting the potentially fatal disease.

Wang, head of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Beijing's Peking University First Hospital, is suspected of contracting the new coronavirus and has received quarantine treatment, CCTV reported on Tuesday, citing the hospital.

Wang was among the experts led by the National Health Commission who visited Wuhan, Hubei province, on Dec 31, the epicenter of the pneumonia outbreak.

Wang was also one of the leading experts conducting research on severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, in 2003.