Seven Kiwis registered in the city of Wuhan, shut down by coronavirus

Pedestrians wear protective masks as they walk through a shopping district in Tokyo Thursday after a was man treated for pneumonia after returning from China.

Seven Kiwis are registered as being in the Chinese city sealed off to stop the spread of a deadly respiratory virus, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

They have registered as being in Wuhan on the SafeTravel website and some have asked what they should do, but haven't needed consular assistance.

A ministry spokesperson said they were monitoring the situation closely. New Zealanders in China are being advised to follow the advice of the authorities at all times and to monitor the media to stay informed of developments.

It's not known whether included among the seven registered with SafeTravel are the two international students due to start at Macleans College next week.

The ministry said the people stuck in Wuhan who have been in touch have been referred to its advice on the SafeTravel website.

The current advice is to avoid non-essential travel to Wuhan due to the recent outbreak of the coronavirus.

"Chinese authorities have put measures in place to contain the spread of the virus.

"This has included wearing masks in public places and some travel restrictions.

"New Zealanders are advised to follow the advice of local authorities at all times and to monitor the media to stay informed of developments," SafeTravel says.

Meanwhile, more than 23 million people are affected by the shutdown as Chinese authorities have moved to lock down more cities.

Eight cities in Hubei – Wuhan, Huanggang, Ezhou, Chibi, Xiantao, Qianjiang, Zhijiang and Lichuan – are now subject to travel bans, according to notices released by local governments in the province.

The respiratory virus has claimed 25 lives since emerging from a seafood and animal market in the central city of Wuhan, infected at least 800 people nationwide and been detected as far away as the United States.