Prime Minister Imran Khan has ordered authorities to take necessary precautionary measures and formulate a comprehensive strategy to tackle the threat of the deadly disease spreading to Pakistan.

In a letter sent to relevant ministries and divisions on Monday, the PM Office said that the spread of the virus "could not be ruled out" given the huge number of Chinese citizens in Pakistan and people frequently traveling between the two countries.

Despite unprecedented quarantines and travel lockdowns, the death toll from the viral epidemic has spiked to 81 in China, with hundreds of new infections reported as major countries step up efforts to evacuate their citizens from the epicentre, Wuhan.

Nearly 2,000 coronavirus cases have been reported across the globe, according to the letter sent by the Prime Minister’s Office.