DUBAI- The UAE's Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA) has extended the period for companies to report first quarter earnings, it said in a statement on Monday.

First quarter earnings can be reported during the same deadline period set for second quarter earnings, it said.

Currently, the deadline for second quarter results is within 45 days of the end of the quarter, or around mid-August, according to the Dubai Financial Market.

The SCA statement cited health and safety regulations currently in place for the change.

Dubai, the business hub of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), imposed a two-week lockdown on Saturday to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

The SCA also extended the deadline for 2019 full-year audit results by 45 days to May 14, it said in the statement.

(Reporting by Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) ((Saeed.Azhar@thomsonreuters.com; +971 44536787; Reuters Messaging: saeed.azhar.reuters.com@reuters.net))