Japan urges citizens to limit interactions to combat Coronavirus pandemic

Japan’s citizens should do everything in their power to limit interactions with others by 70% to curb the spread of the coronavirus, government spokesman Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday.

He said the government will consider the request from coalition partner Komeito to hand out 100,000 yen ($933.45) per person after establishing the extra budget to help cushion the blow from the outbreak to households and businesses.

Japan’s death toll from the deadly pandemic could reach 400,000 without measures to stem the contagion, according to a health ministry projection report.

According to reports, a ministry team studying clusters of the disease estimated that serious cases needing ventilator intervention could reach 850,000.

The projections are based on research from Hokkaido University professor Hiroshi Nishiura, one of the infectious disease experts guiding the government’s response to the outbreak.

The health ministry could not immediately confirm the report.