The United States government is planning to evacuate diplomats and citizens from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan.

The US consulate is reportedly reaching out to all Americans registered as living in Wuhan - considered to be the epicenter of the deadly outbreak - to offer them a seat on a charter flight scheduled for Sunday.

A source familiar with the operation told CNN that roughly 1,000 Americans live in Wuhan, and those who choose to evacuate will be forced to pay for their spot on the plane.

News of the evacuation came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide jumped to 1,396 on Saturday morning, including 42 fatalities.

The majority of the cases - and all deaths - have occurred in China.

The outbreak is believed to have originated in late December at a Wuhan supermarket that was illegally selling wildlife before travelers carried the virus to at least 11 other countries.

Some 57 million people across 15 Chinese cities - including Wuhan - are now on lockdown as officials work to slow the virus' rapid spread.

The United States government is planning to evacuate diplomats and citizens from the coronavirus-stricken Chinese city of Wuhan. Photos from inside the intensive care unit at Zhongnan Hospital in Wuhan show medical workers caring for critically-ill patients this week

News of the evacuation came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases worldwide jumped to 1,396 on Saturday morning, including 42 fatalities. Patients are seen undergoing treatment at Wuhan Central Hospital

Officials are planning to temporarily shutter the US Consulate General in Wuhan (pictured)

The US evacuation was first reported by the Wall Street Journal, citing an official source.

The official source said that a Boeing 767 jet, which carries around 230 people, is scheduled to carry diplomats from the American consulate as well as US citizens and their families.

However, another source who spoke to CNN disputed the Wall Street Journal's claim that any available seats may be offered to non-US citizens and diplomats from other countries, saying that non-US citizens would only be allowed onboard if they are related or married to Americans.

It is understood medical personnel will be on the flight to care for anyone who may have been infected by the virus and prevent it from spreading.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said it is involved in the efforts to help Americans leave Wuhan.

'Department of State has the lead for the safe and expedient ordered departure of all US citizens from Wuhan, China,' CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund told CNN. 'CDC is aware and coordinating in the planning.'

Washington was given approval for the operation from China's Foreign Ministry and other government agencies following negotiations in recent days.

The US also plans to temporarily shut its Wuhan consulate, it said.

In a tweet on Friday, President Donald Trump thanked President Xi Jinping and China for its 'transparency' in fighting coronavirus.

'China has been working very hard to contain the Coronavirus. The United States greatly appreciates their efforts and transparency. It will all work out well. In particular, on behalf of the American People, I want to thank President Xi!' Trump wrote.

On Friday, US health officials revealed they are testing 63 people in 22 states who showed symptoms that could be indicative of the coronavirus, including fever, cough and runny nose.

Two American cases have been confirmed so far - a Washington state man in his 30s who was diagnosed on January 20 and a 60-year-old woman in Chicago whose diagnosis was reported Friday.

Both patients had recently visited Wuhan and are said to be recovering well in hospital isolation.

Health officials revealed on Friday that they are testing 63 people in 22 states

The coronavirus strain, known as 2019-nCov, is believed to have emerged from illegally traded wildlife at a seafood market in Wuhan, a city 700 miles south of the capital of Beijing.

While preliminary research suggests the virus was passed to humans from snakes, Chinese health officials reported this week that some cases have been caused by human-to-human transmission increasing the risk of it spreading.

As of Friday, 1,368 cases have been reported in China and another 28 have been reported across 11 other countries: Thailand (4), Taiwan (3), Singapore (3), France (3), Malaysia (3), Japan (3), South Korea (2), Vietnam (2), Nepal (1), Australia (4) and the US (2).

American officials have said they expected to see an increase in the number of cases as possible infections have been reported across seven states.

CONFIRMED US CORONAVIRUS CASES 1. Man in Washington state The first US coronavirus case was confirmed on Tuesday, January 21. The patient - a Washington man in his 30s who lives in Snohomish County - has been quarantined at Providence Regional Medical Center in Everett, outside of Seattle. The man had had traveled by himself from Wuhan but did not visit any of the markets at the epicenter of the outbreak. He reportedly had no symptoms upon arrival in the US on January 15, but after reading about the outbreak online and developing symptoms, he contacted his doctor. The patient allegedly sought treatment on January 16 and was tested the following day. He is said to be in stable condition. He is being treated in a bio-containment room by a few staff members and a robot to limit the spread of the virus. The robot has a stethoscope attached to take the man's vitals and a large screen so doctors can communicate with him, Dr George Diaz, chief of the infectious disease division at the Providence Regional Medical Center, told CNN. 'The nursing staff in the room move the robot around so we can see the patient in the screen, talk to him,' Dr Diaz told the network. Officials have also been monitoring more than a dozen people the man reportedly came into contact with in the five days between when he arrived back in the US and when he was diagnosed. 2. Woman in Chicago The CDC confirmed the second US case on Friday - a 60-year-old woman in Chicago, Illinois, who had traveled to Wuhan in late December. The woman, who has not been named, arrived at O'Hare International Airport on January 13 but did not begin experiencing symptoms until several days later. Health officials say the woman appears to be 'well' and in stable condition. She is in isolation, but it wasn't revealed which hospital she is in. Advertisement

Two people from Minnesota and three people from Michigan are currently being tested for coronavirus.

The patients from Michigan have reportedly agreed to remain in isolation until their tests results return, reported the Detroit Free Press.

Also being monitored are two college students, one from Texas A&M University and another from Tennessee Tech University.

For the Texas student, Brazos County Health District officials said the male had 'mild' symptoms that resembled the coronavirus and had traveled to Wuhan recently.

Results of tests will be announced to the public if the patient tests positive for coronavirus.

Officials said the patient is currently being kept isolated at home and that it is safe for student to attend classes.

'This patient did travel to the area of concern in China within the last 14 days and thankfully had mild upper respiratory symptoms, and he was improving,' said Dr Eric Wilke with the Brazos County Health Department.

'I believe the time the patient presented at the emergency department, it was more out of concern,' said Dr Eric Wilke with the Brazos County Health Department.

Meanwhile, the Tennessee Department of Health said it decided to test the student because he or she had 'very mild symptoms' and had a recent concerning travel history that met the criteria for testing.

No results have been confirmed and the student is being kept in isolation.

Los Angeles International Airport was also on high alert after a passenger who arrived on Wednesday was sent to hospital after he or she appeared to be ill.

The unnamed passenger arrived on an American Airlines flight from Mexico City around 7pm, reported CBS Los Angeles.

However, it remains unclear if the passenger is from Mexico City, or if they originated from another city.

Several people in California, particularly in Alameda County and the Bay Area, are also being examined to see if they have the virus that resembles SARS.

On Friday, North Carolina's Department of Health and Human Services also reported that it is investigating a case.

The suspected patient arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport on January 23 after having traveled to Wuhan but not to the seafood market to which many early cases have been linked, according to a news release.

Four other potential cases are also under investigation in New York state.

In Beijing today, workers in white protective suits checked temperatures of passengers entering the subway at the central railway station, while some train services in eastern China's Yangtze River Delta region were suspended, the local railway operator said

The UK has a consulate in Wuhan and it is not yet clear whether Britain and other countries will take similar steps to evacuate their citizens from the city.

In response to a request for comment from MailOnline, the Foreign Office refused to disclose how many diplomats are currently living in Wuhan.

'We are monitoring the situation in China closely. We have updated our travel advice and are keeping it under review. Our consular team are ready to assist any British people who need help,' the Foreign Office said in a statement.