Researchers at a group of Brazilian universities and institutes warned that the country likely has 12 times the number of coronavirus cases than are being officially reported by the government, according to Reuters.

In a study released Monday, the researchers examined the ratio of confirmed coronavirus cases resulting in deaths through April 10 and compared it with previous data from the World Health Organization.

The consortium, known as the Center for Health Operations and Intelligence, found a higher-than-expected death rate in Brazil, indicating that there are more cases of the virus than are being officially confirmed. The study estimates that only 8 percent of cases throughout the country are being reported.

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The Brazilian government has focused on testing serious cases rather than all possible cases, according to the group. The center and health professionals have also reported long wait times to receive coronavirus test results.

The country’s health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, has called for testing to improve in the country, Reuters reported. However, he has acknowledged that it is a challenge to distribute tests in Brazil due to the country’s size.

“The high degree of under-notification could give a false impression about control of the disease, and consequently, could lead to a decline in containment measures,” the center said, Reuters reported.

There have been more than 23,700 cases of coronavirus officially confirmed in Brazil and 1,355 deaths.

Researchers at the center are predicting that by April 20, the number of cases in the country will grow to 25,164 in its best-case estimate and 60,413 cases in its worst.

A health ministry official said Monday that more than 93,000 tests are still being processed for results in Brazil. As of last Thursday, the country had carried out nearly 63,000 tests, according to Reuters.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has previously downplayed the risks of the pandemic, although he has called it “the greatest challenge of our generation.” Health officials across the country have urged strict measures to stem the spread of the virus.

Reports also emerged this week that Britain’s death toll from the coronavirus could be approximately 15 percent higher than official statistics have shown, according to its Office for National Statistics.