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N.Korea: 'Positive trend' in COVID fight

Josh SmithReuters
North Korean state media has reported more than 186,090 people have fever symptoms and one is dead.
Camera IconNorth Korean state media has reported more than 186,090 people have fever symptoms and one is dead. Credit: AP

For the first time in nearly 10 days North Korea's daily "fever" cases dropped below 200,000, state media reports, calling it "a positive trend".

The COVID-19 wave, declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million.

It has refused most outside help, kept its borders shut and allows no independent confirmation of official data.

Apparently lacking in testing supplies, North Korea has not confirmed the total number of people testing positive for the coronavirus.

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Instead, health authorities report the number with fever symptoms, making it difficult to assess the scale of the COVID-19 wave.

More than 186,090 additional people had fever symptoms and one more person had died, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday.

More than two million of the 2.6 million cumulative cases had recovered, KCNA said. The official death toll stands at 67.

"The current situation of the epidemic spread in the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) shows a positive trend away from a rapid growth in the beginning to a decline after being stably controlled and managed, registering daily increased number of recoveries across the country," KCNA said.

Last year, North Korea said it had developed its own polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment to conduct coronavirus tests.

KNCA reported the country is "hastening the development of new test reagent and antibody test reagent for early detection of the epidemic".

Authorities have distributed food and medicine across the country, with military medics deployed to help distribute drugs and conduct exams.

More than one million health care workers, including medical students and teachers, had been mobilised to conduct health check-ups "to thoroughly block and eradicate the source of spread", the report added.

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