North Korea reports first corona outbreak since the pandemic began
North Korea reports positive corona infections in the country for the first time. It is the omicron variant. Head of state Kim Jong Un announced strict quarantine measures.
The internationally isolated North Korea has reported the first corona outbreak since the pandemic began more than two years ago. The state news agency KCNA said on Thursday that it was a “severe national emergency”. Accordingly, samples from patients who fell ill with fever in the capital Pyongyang on Sunday matched the highly contagious omicron variant.
According to KCNA, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said at an emergency Politburo meeting that the country would introduce a “maximum” quarantine protocol to contain the outbreak. The aim is to “eliminate the root within the shortest possible time”. Kim added that North Korea “will surely overcome the emergency and win the emergency quarantine project because of the people’s high level of political awareness.”
No positive tests reported as of the end of 2020
Kim called for stricter border controls and lockdown measures. According to KCNA, the ruler urged citizens to “completely prevent the spread of the vicious virus by thoroughly sealing off their areas in all cities and counties across the country.” All economic activities would be organized in such a way that each production unit is “isolated” to prevent the spread of the disease.
The country went into lockdown in early 2020 to protect itself from the pandemic. As of Thursday, North Korea had not confirmed a single case of Covid-19. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), North Korea had conducted 13,259 Covid-19 tests by the end of 2020, all of which came back negative. Analysts say North Korea’s healthcare system would struggle to cope with a major virus outbreak.
