The US government is ordering the evacuation of consular personnel and their family members in Wuhan, the city at the epicentre of the rapidly escalating coronavirus outbreak.

The decision was made because of the circulating virus and “logistical disruption stemming from restricted transportation and overwhelmed hospitals in the city,” according to a US embassy spokesman in Beijing.

Although Wuhan has been on lockdown since Thursday, a 230-seat charter flight carrying American consular staff is expected to depart on Sunday.

US medical personnel will be on board to ensure anyone who may be infected does not spread it to anyone else. The embassy did not disclose where the plane will touch down.

The consulate will evacuate its personnel and some private citizens aboard a charter flight Tuesday. A notice on Sunday from the embassy in Beijing said there would be limited capacity to transport US citizens on the flight that will proceed directly to San Francisco.

The US government last upgraded its travel alert for Hubei on Friday, advising Americans not to travel to the area. The UK has made no move to evacuate staff but has advised against “all but essential” visits to Wuhan since Thursday.