North Korea has reported another major increase in suspected COVID-19 cases as the government mobilized a “major force” of soldiers to distribute medicine and deploy thousands of medical personnel to help find the virus. new infections.
According to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), North Korea’s anti-virus headquarters on Tuesday said another 269,510 people had a fever and six had died.
That brings North Korea’s total number of febrile illnesses since the end of April to 1,483,060 and the death toll to 56.
North Korea, which confirmed Its first coronavirus outbreak last week, there was a shortage of testing supplies to confirm coronavirus infections in large numbers, and the report did not say how many of the fever cases were COVID-19.
The outbreak is almost certainly larger than the fever due to the lack of tests and resources to track and treat those who are sick. North Korea’s response to the virus has mainly been about isolating people with symptoms in temporary camps, and as of Tuesday, at least 663,910 people have been quarantined.
In addition to a lack of vaccines for its 26 million people, North Korea struggles with malnutrition and other conditions of poverty, and a lack of public health tools, including antivirals- withdrawals or intensive care units, leaving hospitalizations and deaths in other countries unaffected.
The North’s death toll could rise in the coming weeks as people who develop symptoms later succumb to the disease.
KCNA said on Tuesday that a “strong force” of the medical corps had been deployed to improve the supply of medicine in the capital, Pyongyang, the center of the epidemic, after a order of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un.
The group’s mission is to “defuse the public health crisis” in Pyongyang.
However, the type of drug given to the patient is not clear.
‘In-depth medical examination’
Some high-ranking members of the Workers’ Party’s powerful politburo visited pharmacies and drug administration offices to check supply and demand, KCNA said in another dispatch, after KCNA said. Mr. Kim criticized the ineffective distribution of drugs.
“They called for the establishment of a stricter order in the storage and handling of medical supplies, maintaining the principle of prioritizing the needs and the convenience of the people in providing them,” KCNA said. .
Tracing efforts have also been ramped up, with around 11,000 medical staff, teachers and medical students taking part in an “in-depth physical examination of all” around the country to locate them. and treat people with fever.
The KCNA added that various sectors of the national economy are still maintaining production and construction, and taking thorough anti-virus measures. Kim ordered limited activity to each city and county.
South Korea has publicly offered to send vaccines, medicine and medical staff, but North Korea has so far ignored the offer as relations between the adversaries are frozen by an impasse in negotiations. larger nuclear talks between Washington and Pyongyang.
Some experts have suggested that Kim’s praise of China’s pandemic response during a meeting on the virus last week showed that North Korea would be more willing to take help from its main ally.
Experts say the only real outside help would be to provide a limited supply of vaccines to reduce deaths in high-risk groups, including the elderly and those with pre-existing medical conditions. first, because it was too late to prevent the virus from spreading widely throughout the North. population.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organization’s Regional Director for Southeast Asia, said: “With the country yet to begin vaccination against COVID-19, there is a risk that the virus could spread rapidly. rapidly among the masses unless prevented by immediate and appropriate measures”. statement.
Shee said the WHO is ready to provide North Korea with technical assistance to ramp up testing as well as essential medicines and medical supplies.
The United States also said it was concerned about the potential impact of the outbreak on the North Korean population and supported vaccine aid to the country.
“For this purpose, we especially support and encourage the efforts of U.S. and international health and aid organizations in finding ways to contain and contain the spread of COVID-19… and provide other forms of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable groups in the country”. spokesperson for the United States Department of State.
