North Korea received help from China, has it controlled the Covid-19 epidemic?

KCNA reported that more than 186,090 people had fever (down more than 32,940 people compared to the previous day) and 1 person died from 6pm on May 20 to 6pm on May 21 across the country.

More than 2 million of the 2.6 million fever cases have recovered. The official death toll is 67, with a fatality rate of 0.003%.

KCNA commented: “The current situation in North Korea showed a positive trend, from the rapid spread at the beginning to now decreasing after being brought under control. The number of recoveries is increasing every day across the country.”

North Korean soldiers deliver medicines to pharmacies. The photo was released by the Korean Central News Agency on May 19. Photo: Yonhap

The Covid-19 wave announced on May 12 in North Korea raised concerns about the lack of a vaccine, incomplete medical infrastructure, a potential food crisis and economic impacts. Another possible socialization in a country of 25 million people.

According to the news agency Reuters, so far, Pyongyang has refused to help from outside, closed its borders and did not allow independent confirmation of epidemic data. Specifically, the US and South Korea expressed their willingness to assist North Korea in dealing with the Covid-19 epidemic, but have not yet received a response.

However, the news agency Yonhap Citing an unnamed diplomatic source, three North Korean Air Koryo planes arrived in China to receive medical supplies and returned to Pyongyang earlier this week.

Reuters said that North Korea lacks test kits and has not confirmed the number of people with Covid-19. Instead, North Korean health authorities reported cases of fever, making it difficult to assess the size of the Covid-19 wave.

Medical staff disinfect a zoo in the capital Pyongyang on May 20. Photo: KCNA/Yonhap

In 2021, North Korea said it had developed a PCR test device to test for Covid-19. KCNA reported that the country is accelerating the development of an antigen test kit for early detection of the disease.

Authorities deployed military medics to distribute food and medicine and conduct testing across the country.

More than 1 million health workers, including medical students and teachers, were also mobilized to check people’s health “to prevent and thoroughly eliminate the source of transmission”.

After two years, North Korea confirmed its first case on May 12. KCNA said at the time that the case was infected with BA.2, a subline of the highly contagious variant of Omicron and is often referred to as “stealth” Omicron.

The case is said to be a “serious national emergency” due to “a hole in the emergency isolation line that has been kept for the past 2 years and 3 months since February 2020”.