TOKYO – According to a Health Ministry report reported by local media, the death of Japan from the novel coronavirus can reach 400,000.

A ministry team studying groups of the disease estimated that severe cases requiring ventilator intervention could reach 850,000, Kyodo and the Asahi newspaper reported.

The estimates are based on research by Professor Hiroshi Nishiura of Hokkaido University, one of the infectious disease experts who are reacting to the government outbreak.

The Ministry of Health could not immediately confirm the report.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration has declared a state of emergency and advised citizens to reduce personal involvement from 70% to 80% to prevent an explosion in cases.

According to national broadcaster NHK, there have been more than 8,000 cases and 162 deaths from the virus in Japan.