Over 1Mn North Koreans affected by COVID-19
More than a million citizens in North Korea have now been affected by the COVID019 virus, according to the state media.
In a report released by the country, about 50 people have died. However, due to the country’s limited testing capacity, it was not clear if all of them are infected by the virus.
Due to this surge, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is ordering health officials and the army to help distribute medicine across the country.
Meanwhile, a nationwide lockdown has been implemented since the spread of the disease.
North Koreans are likely to be especially vulnerable to the virus due to a lack of vaccinations and a poor healthcare system.
At the height of the pandemic last year, the international community offered to supply the country with millions of AstraZeneca and Chinese-made jabs, but Pyongyang claimed it had controlled Covid by sealing its borders early in January 2020.
Experts said receiving help from other countries is a risk for North Korea as it would have to let people into the country to distribute and administer it
But the fact that it is reporting its daily deaths and case numbers is seen as an indication that it needs and wants help to curb the COVID surge in the nation.
