(Yicai Global) Jan. 23 -- People living in Wuhan, the central Chinese city in lockdown after a new strain of coronavirus broke out, have been told not to panic and not to hoard supplies after authorities shut down outbound public transport routes.

Wuhan has enough reserves of commodities, food, fuel and medical supplies, the city's newly established Pneumonic Epidemic Control Headquarters also said. The city has adequate fuel supplies and gas distributors will ensure that there is round the clock supply, the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Commerce said.

As news broke that all air and rail exit routes from the city would be closed from 10 a.m. today, many people rushed to stock up on groceries and to refill their cars, locals told Yicai Global.

Residents expressed concern that many commodities could soon sell out as goods have been flying off supermarket shelves despite them being well stocked ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, their peak season. Prices of vegetables and some other groceries have risen moderately.

Hypermarket chain Carrefour and Alibaba Group Holding's grocery store network Fresh Hema are aware of the public health emergency in Wuhan and will do their best to provide supplies, they said. Many people are booking their Chinese Lunar New Year feasts online to avoid venturing out.

The epidemic is believed to have started at a seafood market in Wuhan last month. So far 17 people have died, and there are 571 confirmed cases of the new strain of pneumonia nationwide. Suspected cases have also popped up in Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand and the US.

Editor: Kim Taylor