North Korea has reported 21 new deaths and 174,440 more people with fever symptoms as the country scrambles to slow the spread of COVID-19 across its unvaccinated population.
The deaths and cases, which were from Friday, increased the total numbers to 27 deaths and 524,440 illnesses amid a rapid spread of fever since late April. North Korea said Saturday that 243,630 people had recovered and 280,810 remained in quarantine. State media didn't specify how many of the fever cases and deaths were confirmed as COVID-19 infections.
The country imposed nationwide lockdowns on Thursday after confirming its first COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.
“It is the most important challenge and supreme tasks facing our party to reverse the immediate public health crisis situation at an early date, restore the stability of epidemic prevention and protect the health and wellbeing of our people,” KCNA quoted Kim Jong Un as saying.
