A vehicle flying a Chinese flag drives past a woman wearing a face mask as she rides a bicycle along a street in Wuhan. Arek Rataj/AP

South Africans in Wuhan, the epicenter of the novel coronavirus outbreak, have expressed frustration about their government's lack of evacuation plans from the city.

Several countries, including the US and Japan, have flown hundreds of their citizens out of the city.

No support: South African Pieter Viljoen, who traveled with a colleague to Wuhan for a business conference before the city's transport lockdown began, said the authorities in South Africa and its embassy in Beijing have not provided support or information about plans to repatriate them.

"We are not getting any real assistance. The only information from the South African embassy is that we must comply with local authorities. In terms of leaving Wuhan, there has been no effort or communication about evacuation," Viljoen said.

Life under lockdown: Viljoen said he has remained in his hotel, which has shut down operations partially since the movement restriction put in place to help check the spread of the deadly virus.

"You have only these small supermarkets where you can get food right now because of the complete lockdown. You can't move around from one district to another, so supplies are not readily available," Viljoen told CNN on telephone.

Feeling abandoned: South African Jessika Bailing says she feels neglected by her country's government. The 23-year-old English teacher, who moved to Wuhan last year, said while many countries are racing to get their citizens out of the city, authorities in South Africa were reluctant to make such arrangements.

"I've watched other countries' governments go above and beyond to evacuate their citizens and then we are faced with that kind of response from our government, how can one not feel abandoned?" Bailing said.

What does South Africa say?: South Africa's embassy in Beijing declined to comment on Viljoen's allegations and directed CNN's request for comment to the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO).

DIRCO spokesman Clayson Monyela told CNN that the South African government and its health ministry was working on all requests. However, they must also consider travel and quarantine measures imposed by Chinese authorities to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We are not ignoring their plight, and we are quite aware of the need for speed to assist our citizens in Wuhan. We are liaising with the mission in Beijing to see how we can respond to the situation within the present context," Monyela said.

No plans to evacuate: Despite growing calls for repatriation, South Africa's Health Minister Zweli Mkhize on Wednesday said there were no plans to fly its citizens out as Chinese authorities have the outbreak under control.

"The Chinese government has assured us that there is no evidence to necessitate the evacuation of foreign nationals living in Wuhan city, and they have called for calm in this respect," Mkhize said.

He added that they have been assured by the Chinese government that foreign nationals who fall sick will be treated in the same way as Chinese citizens.

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