North Korea's Covid-19 cases near 1.5mln, death toll reaches 56
North Korea's cumulative total of Covid-19 cases has reached 1,483,060, with 819,090 recoveries, 663,910 cases under treatment, and 56 deaths.
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North Korea's cumulative total has reached 1,483,060 cases, with 819,090 recoveries, 663,910 cases under treatment, and 56 deaths.
North Korea has confirmed 269,510 new patients with fever believed to be Covid-19 and six related deaths over the past day, the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters said on Tuesday.
The state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) cited the public health authority as saying that North Korea's cumulative total has reached 1,483,060 cases, with 819,090 recoveries, 663,910 cases under treatment, and 56 deaths.
According to the report, recoveries over the past day totaled 170,460.
North Korea confirmed on Thursday its first-ever outbreak of Covid-19, with state media declaring it a "severe national emergency incident," more than two years after the start of the pandemic worldwide.
The country's top officials, including leader Kim Jong Un, had held a crisis politburo meeting to discuss the outbreak and announced they would implement a "maximum emergency" virus control system.
KCNA said Kim told his officials during the meeting that "the goal was to eliminate the root within the shortest period of time."
"He assured us that because of the people's high political awareness ... we will surely overcome the emergency and win the emergency quarantine project," the news agency said.
Kim called for tighter border controls and lockdown measures, telling citizens "to completely block the spread of the virus by thoroughly blocking their areas in all cities and counties across the country," KCNA mentioned.
All business and production activities will be organized so that each work unit is "isolated" to prevent the spread of disease, it added.
KCNA also reported about an "unknown fever" spreading in the country since late April. The fever is believed to be an airborne coronavirus infection, but the exact number of patients with specifically Covid-19 remains unknown.
It is noteworthy that South Korea and North Korea are set to hold talks this week to discuss Covid-19 relief measures that Seoul can offer Pyongyang in an effort to curb the spread of the disease within the country, South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Sunday, citing an unnamed government official.
