Photo :webshot. 

may13, 2022

Anna Murray 

Six people have died and 350,000 have been treated for a fever that has spread North Korea, according to a May 13 report from state media, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). The news comes just one day after the country's first coronavirus case was announced, forcing the administration to proclaim the situation a major national emergency.

The official KCNA news agency reported that the outbreak has spread beyond the capital, Pyongyang. A fever whose cause couldn't be identified spread explosively nationwide from late April. According to the KCNA report, 162,200 people have recovered from fevers that began in late April. On May 12, 18,000 people were found with fever symptoms, and 187,800 were confined for treatment.

Despite being qualified for the global COVID-19 vaccine exchange scheme, COVAX, North Korea has gotten no COVID vaccines. According to health experts, North Korea lacks vaccines, COVID-19 antiviral medicines, and likely few intensive care units to treat serious infections, potentially resulting to higher death rates than other countries. China, which is fighting its own outbreak, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said on May 12 that Beijing is eager to help North Korea fight COVID-19.