Four members of a Chinese family who arrived in the United Arab Emirates from the city of Wuhan have been diagnosed with the new coronavirus, the first known cases in the Middle East, the UAE health ministry said on Wednesday.

The virus originated in Wuhan, capital of China's Hubei province, and has killed more than 130 people in China. The UAE is a major international air transport hub, and its airport in Dubai is one of the world's busiest.

The family members are in a stable condition and under medical observation, the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency.

The statement did not say where the family members were being treated or when they arrived in the UAE. The ministry and a government information office did not respond to a request for further comment.

Nearly 60 cases have been reported in 15 countries outside China, including the United States, France and Singapore.

Fears of the spreading virus have already pushed airlines to reduce flights to China. Emirates, the UAE's biggest airline, said on Wednesday its flights were operating normally.