Police officers and local residents in eastern China used steel pipes to lock a family in their flat door after they came back from Wuhan where the coronavirus originated.

In the video, shot in the county of Lianshui in Jiangsu Province on January 28, a notice reading, "Family in this flat came back from Wuhan. Please stay away," was stuck onto the wall and steel pipes were installed outside the flat door to stop them from coming out.

The family inside the building can be heard shouting out: “Why did you lock us inside?"

According to reports, local officers delivered food for the family after they locked them inside the flat. The local government realised their offensive behaviour and removed the steel pipes on January 30.

（涟水县微信用户“大港”“金玉”提供视频）近日，江苏涟水，一住户门口贴有 “此户系武汉返乡人员”的告示，包括警务人员在内的几名男子正在用金属管封住住户家门。1月30日，江苏涟水县委宣传部负责人表示确有此事，现已将门口设施拆除。