Dubai's Emirates Group has seen a "measurable slowdown" in business due to the coronavirus outbreak and has asked staff to take paid and unpaid leave, according to an internal email seen by Reuters.

"A particular challenge for us right now is dealing with the impact of the COVID-19," the email to staff said.

"We've seen a measurable slowdown in business across our brands, and a need for flexibility in the way we work."

The email asked staff who have "accrued a significant balance of annual leave" to consider taking paid leave. It also said the company was offering unpaid leave to employees in non-operational roles and may offer it to operational staff.

"In all cases, we strongly encourage you to take up this opportunity if you have the support and approval of your line manager," the email said.

An Emirates spokeswoman confirmed the email had been sent to employees but declined to comment further.