1.2 million people “have a fever”, more than 500,000 people are quarantined

More than 1.2 million people have become ill amid the rapidly spreading “flu” since late April, and about 564,860 people are currently in quarantine, said North Korea’s emergency anti-virus headquarters, according to North Korea’s emergency virus headquarters. Eight new deaths were reported within the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths to 50.

North Korean state media did not specify how many cases of fever and deaths were confirmed as COVID-19. Experts say it’s likely that North Korea’s lack of testing equipment makes it difficult to confirm COVID-19 cases in large numbers, and largely relies on isolating those with symptoms. disease.

Many experts also believe that if it cannot slow the spread of COVID-19, North Korea could face many consequences due to its underdeveloped health system. Most of North Korea’s 26 million people are believed to be unvaccinated, because Pyongyang has refused to receive millions of doses of the COVAX vaccine program.

North Korea first recorded a COVID-19 outbreak last Thursday, after it announced an unspecified number of residents in the capital Pyongyang had tested positive for Omicron. Earlier, Pyongyang claimed to have prevented COVID-19 outside its borders.

During a meeting held on Sunday, leader Kim Jong-un criticized health officials and government officials for their response to the pandemic, saying that the supply of medicine had not yet reached pharmacies. timely medication because of their “irresponsible working attitude” and lack of organization; according to KCNA.

Pyongyang also issued an urgent directive to quickly distribute the national stockpile of drugs to pharmacies. Kim Jong-un also instructed military pharmaceutical units to take part in stabilizing the supply of pharmaceuticals in Pyongyang, according to KCNA.

Earlier, KCNA said a force of more than 1.3 million people – including public health officials, teachers, medical university students – had been deployed to find people with fever or symptoms. other, for quarantine.

South Korea is willing to provide a vaccine to North Korea, but Seoul officials say Pyongyang has yet to make such an offer. Some experts say the comments Kim Jong-un made last week, in which he praised China’s handling of the epidemic and urged officials to learn, showed that North Korea can accept the support from China.

Last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said that Beijing was willing to assist North Korea, but added that he had no information about the offer from Pyongyang.

According to Huyen Chi