Corona drama in North Korea: 233,000 new "fever" cases - Kim sends the military to pharmacies

Created: 05/19/2022, 05:25

North Korea has mobilized the military for relief operations.

The “fever case numbers” are exploding.

The number of “fever deaths” has also officially increased.

Pyongyang - North Korea's ruler Kim Jong-un has again berated his health officials.

Meanwhile, a corona wave is sweeping through the isolated country.

North Korea reported nearly 233,000 new "fever" cases on Tuesday night alone.

There are now a total of 1.72 million infections and 62 deaths, state media reports, according to the afp news agency.

The first official corona case since the beginning of the pandemic in North Korea was reported just a week ago.

The country has been denying the corona pandemic for two years.

Even now there is talk of "fever" cases.

Corona numbers in North Korea are exploding

Kim ordered nationwide lockdowns and ordered the military to support the ailing healthcare system.

According to the state news agency KCNA, almost 3,000 military medics are on duty to ensure the supply of medicines.

Soldiers distribute medicines around the clock in pharmacies in the capital Pyongyang with almost three million inhabitants, as reported by the KCNA.

However, according to the dpa news agency, it is unclear which drugs are available.

Corona in North Korea: Citizens should gargle with salt

In the absence of alternatives, largely ineffective remedies are used.

As several media reports, North Korean citizens are advised to treat Covid-19 with home remedies such as gargling with salt water.

In addition, citizens were advised to drink willow leaf tea three times a day.

Corona crisis in North Korea: Kim Jong-un insults health officials

According to a report by the state news agency KCNA on Wednesday, Kim said at a Politburo meeting that the "non-positive attitude, carelessness and inaction of senior state officials" are contributing to the state's inability to deal with the crisis.

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Kim announced that he would "awaken the entire party like an active volcano" to combat the spread of the virus, according to KCNA.

According to state media, his family donated medicines that were distributed in southern Hwanghae Province.

Kim wanted to underline his personal commitment to fighting the outbreak.

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

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.

Corona pandemic: North Korea has been sealing off borders for Covid control since January 2020

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.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is "deeply concerned about the risk of further spread of Covid-19 in the country," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

He noted that "the population is unvaccinated and has many underlying conditions that put them at risk of serious illness and death."

The WHO reiterated its offer to provide vaccine and medical supplies to North Korea.

The leadership in Pyongyang has not yet responded to this.

Corona outbreak in North Korea worries neighboring China

The development of the corona situation in North Korea is also being followed with concern in neighboring China.

The port city of Dalian, about 300 kilometers from the common border, ordered regular corona tests for all 7.5 million inhabitants on Tuesday in view of the increasing number of infections in North Korea.

China continues to pursue a strict zero-Covid strategy and has imposed a strict lockdown in the metropolis of Shanghai, among other things.