As the coronavirus continues to take hold of China, the city of Wuhan is on lockdown with eerie footage of the 'ghost city' showing deserted streets and empty shops.

The usually bustling and busy city of Wuhan has been identified as 'ground zero' for the disease outbreak, and the city's inhabitants have been placed under quarantine and warned to stay indoors to avoid contracting the disease. The illness has now killed at least 41 people and infected many more.

The chilling footage of a deserted Wuhan was shot by an American woman shows the empty streets, closed shops and near silent roads as the disease remains rife and residents hide indoors.

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Most vehicles, including private cars, are now banned in downtown areas with the city assigning 6,000 taxis to neighbourhoods to help people get around if they need to.

bustling lively city, but the coronavirus outbreak has brought life to a halt. Credit: Sagerune/Newsflare

China has also cut off trains, planes and other links to the city in its bid to control the disease, and has steadily expanded the lockdown to many of the surrounding cities outside of Wuhan.

A coronavirus dedicated hospital is in the process of being built in a six-day sprint, in order to help the vast numbers of people that are attempting to seek medical attention.

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According to authorities, the construction efforts are 'to address the insufficiency of existing medical resources', including a lack of protective gear.

Residents have been placed under quarantine and forced to stay indoors. Credit: Sagerune/Newsflare

Wuhan's facility will mirror Beijing's strategy, after they built a hospital in seven days to control the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) back in 2003. This ended up treating one-seventh of the country's patients.