Cyclists including Britain's Chris Froome awaited the results of coronavirus tests from their hotel lockdown Friday, after UAE Tour was abandoned when two Italian staff members tested positive.

"The decision has been taken to ensure protection of all the race's participants," the UAE Tour organising committee said in a statement.

It said the United Arab Emirates health ministry would screen all the race's participants, administrative staff and organisers, and adopt measures "including quarantine" to prevent the spread of the disease.

"It's a shame that the #UAETour has been cancelled but public health must come first," tweeted Froome, a four-time winner of the Tour de France.

"We are all awaiting testing and will remain at the hotel until further notice. I hope those affected make a speedy recovery and there aren't any further cases #coronavirus."

A total of 24 Italian cyclists started the race in the UAE. Italy is the hardest-hit country in Europe, with 650 people infected and 17 deaths.

Italy's Vini Zabu-KTM team said its riders had been tested already.

"Tomorrow morning we will know the results. It's gonna be a long night and we hope that everyone will come back home without any trouble," it said in a statement on Twitter.

Britain's Adam Yates, who had led the overall race after Thursday's fifth stage, was declared winner of the event after the final two stages fell victim to the coronavirus outbreak.

Second was Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia with Kazak Alexey Lutsenko third.

"The final two days of racing are cancelled due to concerns around Coronavirus," Yates's Mitchelton team tweeted on Thursday.

"Riders and staff remain in the hotel and will be tested shortly, with their health taking priority. We hope anyone affected makes a fast recovery."

Unprecedented Move

The tour cancellation came just a day after Italian golfers Edoardo Molinari and Lorenzo Gagli were quarantined in neighbouring Oman over coronavirus fears before being cleared to play in the country's European Tour event.

Gagli had suffered flu-like symptoms and as Molinari, the older brother of former British Open winner Francesco, was his roommate, both were forced to withdraw from the tournament and placed in isolation as a precautionary measure.

However, they were then cleared to play after the Oman health ministry reported that Gagli's test results were negative.

The UAE on Friday announced six more cases of coronavirus, taking its total to 19. It did not say if the two Italians were included in the new total.

Gulf countries have announced a raft of measures to cut links with Iran to prevent coronavirus spreading, after infections emerged among people returning from pilgrimages to the Islamic republic, which is battling the deadliest outbreak outside China.

Kuwait on Friday announced two more cases for a total of 45, and there were another two cases in Oman for a total of six. Bahrain reporting three new cases -- all Bahraini women returning from Iran -- pushing the total to 36.

Saudi Arabia has no reported cases but has suspended visas for visits to Islam's holiest sites for the "umrah" pilgrimage, an unprecedented move triggered by coronavirus fears that raises questions over the annual hajj.