Cairo (dpa) - Dubai-based airline Emirates has reversed an earlier decision to suspend all its passenger flights due to the spread of the coronavirus and said it would continue flights to a few destinations.

"Having received requests from governments & customers to support repatriation of travellers, Emirates will continue to operate passenger and cargo flights to few countries until further notice, as long as borders remain open, and there is demand," the state-owned carrier said on its Twitter account.

Emirates, one of the globe’s biggest airlines, also said it would operate passenger flights to Britain, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, Australia, South Africa, South Korea, the United States and Canada.

Earlier Sunday, the carrier initially said that it would suspend all of its passenger flights starting Wednesday, calling it a “painful but pragmatic” move.

"These are unprecedented times for the airline and travel industry," it tweeted.

"The world has literally gone into quarantine due to the Covid-19 outbreak," Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the chairman and chief executive of Emirates Group, said in a statement.

"As a global network airline, we find ourselves in a situation where we cannot viably operate passenger services until countries re-open their borders, and travel confidence returns," he added.

Elsewhere in the Gulf, Kuwait and Oman on Sunday announced further restrictions to contain the spread of the virus.

Kuwait started enforcing a partial curfew and extended a precautionary holiday for all employees for two more weeks.

A curfew took effect across the country on Sunday from 5 pm to 7 am (1400 to 0400 GMT) until further notice, according to Kuwait's state news agency KUNA.

Violating the curfew will be punishable by up to three years in prison, the agency quoted a government statement as saying.

The Kuwaiti Health Ministry reported 12 new virus cases, raising to 188 the total number of infections in the country.

This week, the small oil-rich country extended the closure of all educational institutions until August.

Kuwait’s Emir Sabah Al Ahmed said Sunday his country was facing a global health crisis with no end in sight.

“It’s a battle against a fierce enemy,” he said in a televised address.

The ruler called on people to “ be seriously committed” to measures in place against the potentially fatal disease.

In Oman, authorities decided to ban public gatherings and drastically cut the workforce at government institutions, the latest steps to curb the outbreak.

The number of employees present at each government workplace should not exceed 30 per cent of the overall workforce, Oman's official news agency ONA reported.

Omani authorities urged private businesses to turn to remote working and advised against the use of banknotes in favour of electronic payments.

An Omani state committee also ordered a halt to printing newspapers, magazines and all leaflets to prevent the spread of the virus, the news agency added.

The sale and circulation of publications issued abroad will also be banned in Oman.

The measures came shortly after health authorities announced three new virus cases, bringing the number of infections in Oman to 55.

In Saudi Arabia, health authorities on Sunday reported 119 new virus cases, raising the infection number in the kingdom to 511.