SEOUL (AFP) – North Korea on Saturday reported 21 additional deaths from ‘fever’, two days after the country announced its first-ever cases of Covid-19 and ordered nationwide lockdowns.
State media said 174,440 new fever cases were discovered on Friday alone and that 21 people had died, as it moved into “maximum emergency quarantine system” in a bid to slow the spread of disease through its unvaccinated population.
“On May 13, 174,440 new cases of fever were reported nationwide, 81,430 recovered, and 21 died,” the KCNA report said.
The KCNA report did not specify whether the victims were positive for Covid-19, but experts say the country lacks mass testing capacity.
“The total number of sick people nationwide was 524,440, of which 234,630 were fully recovered, 288,810 were receiving treatment, and the number of deaths so far is 27,” it added.
North Korea held its second Politburo meeting this week, overseen by leader Kim Jong-un, who said the outbreak was causing “great turmoil” in the country, KCNA reported.
“The spread of the malignant epidemic is a great turmoil to fall on our country since the founding,” Kim told the emergency meeting of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party.
“But if we don’t lose focus in implementing epidemic policy and maintain strong organization power and control based on single-minded unity of the party and the people and strengthen our epidemic battle, we can more than overcome the crisis.”
The KCNA said the Workers’ Party meeting heard reports of about 280,810 people being treated and 27 deaths since a fever of unidentified origins was reported starting in late April.
The North Korean leader said the health crisis had been caused by the incompetence and irresponsibility of party organizations, but transmission was not uncontrollable and the country must have faith in its battle to overcome the crisis in the shortest possible period.
Kim offered to donate medical supplies, which had been kept in his household, to be used by families that are experiencing particular hardship “with his resolution to always share the destiny with the people.”