HUNDREDS of Brits are stranded at the centre of the coronavirus outbreak after China blocked attempts to airlift them home.

Officials have told all countries its lockdown in Wuhan, where the coronavirus was first reported, will not be lifted for repatriation flights, a Foreign Office source revealed.

9 Members of a military medical team head to the hospital in Wuhan as worried Brits in the say they had been left without any information Credit: Alamy Live News

9 With the city under quarantine supplies are running low in this Wuhan supermarket Credit: Avalon.red. All rights reserved.

And yesterday worried Brits in the city of Wuhan — the source of the deadly illness — said they had been left without any information.

The Foreign Office has been criticised for its response to the crisis as it emerged the British embassy in Wuhan was closed over the weekend.

The city is under quarantine with air and rail departures suspended and roads closed.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab had been in tense negotiations with the Chinese government to send a rescue plane for expats.

A source close to Mr Raab said: “These discussions are very complex. Hopefully an agreement will be reached soon.

“We are keen to get this done as soon as possible, but a number of things need to happen on the ­Chinese side before we can make any firm promises.

9 British scientists are racing to develop a vaccine as the crisis worsens in China Credit: AFP or licensors

9 People wearing face masks at a metro station in Taipei, Taiwan Credit: EPA

9 Medical staff gather at Zhengzhou East Railway Station in China's Henan province Credit: Alamy Live News

9 Preparatory work at a hospital in Wuhan Credit: Alamy Live News

9 Members of a military medical team carry supplies to a hospital in Wuhan Credit: Alamy Live News

“Their position is understandable but we have been very clear that time is of the essence.”

Fears of a UK coronavirus epidemic were growing last night as health chiefs struggled to find hundreds of people who may have been exposed to the virus.

Around 2,000 people have arrived in the UK from Wuhan in the last two weeks. But last night only 51 had been found and tested for the killer bug —– just 2.5 per cent of the “at risk” total.

All were found to be clear of snake flu — full name Wuhan novel coronavirus.

Dr Yvonne Griffiths, 71, a lecturer visiting China on behalf of Birmingham University, said: “Wuhan has changed completely in the last few days.

“Roads are deserted. In the supermarket everybody is wearing a mask. In the hotel, where we are, everyone is wearing a mask.

“We have no news when the airport will re- open. There’s no information coming from any source — so that's a concern.”

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Simon Gibbons, 36, from London, who works in the car industry in Wuhan, accused the Foreign Office of “sitting back and watching the situation develop before they put plans in place — when 300 Brits in Wuhan are scared to leave the house.”

A Foreign Office source said embassies closed over the weekend because of Chinese New Year celebrations, but “a great deal of work” was done behind the scenes. Last night the death toll was 56, with 2,000 confirmed cases worldwide.

British scientists are racing to develop a vaccine for coronavirus — thought to have come from snakes — after three cases were detected in France.

9 Revellers celebrate during Manchester's Chinatown celebrations, as fears of a UK epidemic grew last night Credit: ©AndyKelvin / Kelvin Media

9 Tourists in Chinatown wear face masks amidst the Chinese New Year celebrations Credit: Press Association

British lecturer, 71, stranded in coronavirus 'ground zero' slams British government for its 'lack of concern'