DUBAI: Major concerts and events in the United Arab Emirates, an air transit centre as well as a tourism and business hub, have been cancelled or postponed as the coronavirus spreads in the Gulf.

There have been at least 1,641 cases of the virus in the Gulf region, mostly in Iran where 66 people have died. Cases have also been reported in other Middle East nations.

The March 5-6 electronic music Ultra festival at Abu Dhabi's 25,000-capacity Du arena and the March 21 K-pop concert Music Bank at Dubai's 17,000-capacity Coca Cola Arena have been cancelled.

Organisers of Ultra, where electronic group Major Lazer and DJ Afrojack were to perform, cited travel restrictions imposed by some countries and airlines in the wake of the rapidly-spreading virus.

South Korea's national broadcaster KBS and crowdfunding platform Makestar, organisers of the K-pop concert, said Music Bank was cancelled because of the spread of the epidemic in South Korea and elsewhere.

The UAE, which has reported 21 cases, regularly hosts major conferences, concerts and sporting events, a significant draw-card for foreign visitors.

The UAE central bank will reassess its forecast for economic growth in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak, an official said on Tuesday.

A women's forum and yoga festival in Abu Dhabi and a carnival in Dubai for the Hindu holi festival, all in March, have also been cancelled or rescheduled.

Meanwhile, American rapper and producer Russ said his March 27 concert in Dubai will now take place in November because of the virus.

"I know, wild lol (laugh out loud) but outta my control," he said on Twitter.

Dubai has postponed its March boat show until November and Abu Dhabi postponed the ITU World Triathlon event this month, after earlier cancelling a cycling tournament where two elite participants were diagnosed with the virus.