Residents of Wuhan have overwhelmed the city’s hospitals as authorities attempted to place the central Chinese metropolis of more than 10m under lockdown in a bid to contain a deadly Sars-like virus that has killed 17 people and infected nearly 600.

The travel ban went into effect at 10am local time and includes train and aeroplanes. It comes on the eve of China’s lunar new year spring festival, the busiest period of travel in the country when authorities expect hundreds of millions of Chinese to travel across the country. A total of 3bn trips will be made over the Chinese new year period, from January 10 to February 18, according to Xinhua, the Chinese news agency.

Some Wuhan residents said they had attempted to depart the city before the ban was implemented but were unable to leave.