Corona numbers are exploding in North Korea: 1.2 million fever patients – is Kim Jong-un now asking for help?

Created: 05/16/2022, 11:14 am

By: Martina Lippl

Corona in North Korea: ruler Kim Jong Un visits a pharmacy in the capital Pyongyang.

© KCNA/dpa

Hardly anyone in North Korea has been vaccinated against the corona virus.

No corona case was reported for two years, now the numbers are suddenly exploding.

The military should intervene.

Pyongyang – A few days ago, North Korea reported the first official coronavirus infection.

Then came the report of the first "fever-related" death.

The country has been denying the corona pandemic for two years and is now avoiding calling the disease by its name.

There is talk of the “spreading of the epidemic”.

According to official figures, the number of deaths has now risen to 50.

The number of patients with fever symptoms has risen to more than 1.2 million, the state media reported on Monday, citing the Epidemic Prevention Emergency Center.

North Korea: Kim Jong-un orders military to help with drug supplies

Ruler Kim Jong-un ordered the military to "immediately stabilize" the supply of medicines in the capital Pyongyang, the state news agency KCNA reported on Monday.

According to KCNA, Kim "strongly criticized" the "irresponsible work attitude" of the responsible officials in the cabinet and the health authorities.

The ruler particularly complained that the pharmacies are not open around the clock.

He accused the officials of "not rolling up their sleeves and not properly recognizing the current crisis".

Corona situation in North Korea is coming to a head dramatically

Kim's public criticism is a sign that the situation is very serious, Professor Yang Moo Jin of the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul told the AFP news agency.

Yang believes North Korea will need international help to get through the massive omicron wave: "If China's help is not enough to deal with the outbreak, North Korea will ask South Korea, the US or international organizations for help."

North Korea has so far rejected vaccine offers from China and the World Health Organization.

After reports of the omicron outbreak in the country, both the government in Beijing and South Korea have once again offered vaccines to the leadership in Pyongyang.

The corona situation is worsening in North Korea.

An employee at the Kyonghung Foodstuff General Store disinfects the counters.

© Cha Song Ho/dpa

Corona in North Korea: Kim Jong-un has everything sealed off

North Korea only announced on Thursday (May 12) that the highly contagious omicron variant had been discovered in Pyongyang.

A “total lockdown” has been ordered for all provinces and cities, according to KCNA.

Despite drastic measures, North Korea reports high numbers of new cases in the unvaccinated population every day.

How many of the previously reported "fever" deaths are due to the corona virus remained unclear.

According to North Korea expert Cheong Seong Chang of South Korea's Sejong Institute, "it is not an exaggeration to consider all these cases of 'fever' as Covid-19 illnesses" given North Korea's lack of testing.

North Korea sealed off its borders in early 2020 to protect itself from the pandemic.

According to experts, the country has one of the worst health systems in the world.

The hospitals are poorly equipped and have only a few intensive care units.

Drugs to treat Covid-19 and capacities for mass testing are therefore not available.

North Korea is economically devastated, the population is affected by famine.