A total of 24 Italian cyclists started the race in the UAE.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, DoH-AD, has taken all necessary measures to ensure the good health and safety of guests at two hotels, presumed to be contacts of two Italian nationals who tested positive for novel Coronavirus disease (Covid-19).

The DoH-AD applied precautionary quarantine in two hotels in Yas Island, while other contacts were confined to home quarantine to undergo medical investigations and periodic testing for 14 days.

(Coronavirus: Everything you need to know about the Covid-19 Wuhan virus outbreak)

The two Italian patients are currently receiving necessary medical care and they are under continuous observation.

The Department said it had been making all necessary arrangements, in coordination with other authorities, in terms of medical materials and early warning systems, to detect suspected cases of Coronavirus.

The authorities concerned in Abu Dhabi have also put in place a set of preventive measures, including the provision of thermometers and laboratory testing kits at land, air and sea ports, as well as availability of round-the-clock-care by medical teams.

The Abu Dhabi Sports Council has cancelled the remaining rounds of the 2020 UAE Tour, scheduled for Friday and Saturday.