North Korean state media reports first official COVID-19 deaths as outbreak spreads
2 years, 7 months ago

North Korean state media reports first official COVID-19 deaths as outbreak spreads

ABC  

North Korean state media has reported the country's first official COVID-19 deaths, with six people dying amid an "explosive" spread of illness. Key points: More than 350,000 people have reportedly been treated for fever About 18,000 people were newly found with fever symptoms on Thursday One of the six people who died was confirmed to have been infected with the omicron variant The reports on Friday came a day after North Korea confirmed an outbreak for the first time since the pandemic began, triggering a nationwide lockdown. That means the outbreak could cause "a serious situation" because North Korea lacks medical equipment and medicine to treat virus patients and many of its people are not well-nourished, Dr Kim said. North Korea would also likely stress lockdowns, although the experience of China's "zero-COVID" policy suggested that approach did not work against the fast-moving Omicron variant, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Seoul's Ewha Womans University.

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History of this topic

North Korean leader accuses South Korea of a smear campaign over floods and hints at rejecting aid
4 months, 3 weeks ago

North Korean leader accuses South Korea of a smear campaign over floods and hints at rejecting aid

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Please try again later {{ …

South Korea offers humanitarian aid to flood-hit North Korea
4 months, 3 weeks ago

South Korea offers humanitarian aid to flood-hit North Korea

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea on Thursday offered to send aid supplies to North Korea to help the country recover from heavy rains and floods that submerged thousands of homes and huge swaths of farmland. It’s unclear whether North Korea would accept South Korea’s proposal for help. South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, said the South was …

Report: North Korea is producing viruses for germ warfare program
8 months, 1 week ago

Report: North Korea is producing viruses for germ warfare program

Daily Mail  

North Korea is producing viruses and bacteria for their germ warfare programme that already has an arsenal capable of causing chaos and terror in the region, according to a US report. In their latest assessment of Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction, the US said the mysterious state ruled by Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un has developed sprays and 'poison pens' which …

South Korea to lift quarantine mandate and COVID test recommendation for travelers
1 year, 7 months ago

South Korea to lift quarantine mandate and COVID test recommendation for travelers

LA Times  

South Korea will drop its COVID-19 quarantine requirements and end coronavirus testing recommendations for international arrivals starting next month after the World Health Organization declared the end of the global health emergency. The decision was announced during a meeting attended by President Yoon Suk-yeol, at which he thanked the country’s medical workers and said it was “delightful that people are …

South Korea to resume issuing short-term visas for China travellers on Feb 11
1 year, 10 months ago

South Korea to resume issuing short-term visas for China travellers on Feb 11

India Today  

South Korea plans to resume issuing short-term visas for travellers from China on Saturday after China improved its Covid-19 situation, Seoul officials said on Friday. South Korea suspended issuing short-term visas to Chinese visitors last month after China abruptly ended its stringent "zero-Covid" policy, leading to a wave of infections. Kim Sung-ho, South Korea's vice interior minister in charge of …

North Korea lifts stringent epidemic lockdown in capital Pyongyang, says Russian embassy
1 year, 10 months ago

North Korea lifts stringent epidemic lockdown in capital Pyongyang, says Russian embassy

Firstpost  

Seoul, South Korea: Russia’s embassy in North Korea says the country has eased stringent epidemic controls in the capital Pyongyang that were placed during the past five days to slow the spread of respiratory illnesses. North Korea has not officially acknowledged a lockdown in Pyongyang or a re-emergence of COVID-19 after leader Kim Jong Un declared a widely disputed victory …

North Korea locks down capital city over ’respiratory illness’
1 year, 11 months ago

North Korea locks down capital city over ’respiratory illness’

Live Mint  

Authorities in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have ordered a five-day lockdown due to rising cases of an unspecified respiratory illness, Seoul-based NK News reported on Wednesday, citing a government notice. The notice did not mentioned COVID-19, but said that residents in the city are required to stay in their homes through the end of Sunday and must submit to …

North Korean capital Pyongyang reportedly under lockdown due to 'respiratory illness'
1 year, 11 months ago

North Korean capital Pyongyang reportedly under lockdown due to 'respiratory illness'

ABC  

Authorities in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang have ordered a five-day lockdown due to rising cases of an unspecified respiratory illness, Seoul-based NK News has reported, citing a government notice. Key points: Residents in Pyongyang will be required to stay in their homes until Sunday night North Korea acknowledged its first COVID-19 outbreak last year, and declared victory over …

China refuses to give COVID vaccines to North Korean refugees
1 year, 11 months ago

China refuses to give COVID vaccines to North Korean refugees

Live Mint  

China has refused to give the COVID vaccine to North Korean refugees, endangering their lives in the process, according to the US-based Radio Network Voice of America. Even after removing the COVID limitations, China continues to refuse to treat North Korean defectors. Since the COVID outbreak began, North Korean defectors in China have not gotten even a single dosage of …

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges
1 year, 11 months ago

China says critical COVID cases have peaked as holiday travel surges

The Hindu  

The number of COVID patients needing critical care in China's hospitals has peaked, health authorities said on Thursday, as millions travelled across the country for long-awaited reunions with families, raising fears of fresh outbreaks. There has been widespread scepticism over China's official COVID data since it abruptly axed anti-virus controls last month that had shielded China's 1.4 billion people from …

COVID-19 update: China reports nearly 60,000 coronavirus deaths since December 2022| DETAILS
1 year, 11 months ago

COVID-19 update: China reports nearly 60,000 coronavirus deaths since December 2022| DETAILS

India TV News  

China COVID deaths : China today reported nearly 60,000 deaths in people who had COVID-19 since early December following complaints the government was failing to release data about the status of the pandemic. The death toll included 5,503 deaths due to respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 and 54,435 fatalities from other ailments combined with COVID-19. The National Health Commission said …

China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs: 'Reasonable...'
1 year, 11 months ago

China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs: 'Reasonable...'

Hindustan Times  

Chinese state media defended on Wednesday the retaliatory measures against South Korea and Japan over their COVID-19 travel curbs as "reasonable", while Chinese tourists decried Seoul's "insulting" treatment on social media. China defends its move against South Korea, Japan Covid travel curbs. South Korean foreign minister Park Jin has said that Seoul's decision was based on scientific evidence and that …

China suspends visas for South Koreans in retaliation for Covid test mandate for its flyers
1 year, 11 months ago

China suspends visas for South Koreans in retaliation for Covid test mandate for its flyers

India Today  

China suspended visas Tuesday for South Koreans to come to the country for tourism or business in apparent retaliation for COVID-19 testing requirements on Chinese travelers. A brief notice posted online by the Chinese Embassy in Seoul said the ban would apply until South Korea lifted its “discriminatory measures on entrance by China” to the country. Around a dozen countries …

WHO: China COVID data underrepresents surge, deaths
1 year, 11 months ago

WHO: China COVID data underrepresents surge, deaths

The Hindu  

China's COVID-19 data is not giving an accurate picture of the situation there and underrepresents the number of hospitalisations and deaths from the disease, a senior official at the World Health Organization said on Wednesday. "We believe that the current numbers being published from China underrepresent the true impact of the disease in terms of hospital admissions, in terms of …

South Korea seeks Chinese national missing from Covid quarantine
1 year, 11 months ago

South Korea seeks Chinese national missing from Covid quarantine

India Today  

South Korean authorities said on Wednesday they were trying to track down a Chinese national who tested positive for Covid-19 on arrival but went missing while waiting at a quarantine facility. The person tested positive after arriving at Incheon International Airport near Seoul late on Tuesday and was transferred to a hotel to await admission to quarantine, but then went …

China's Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world, spread new Covid-19 variant, warns Mike Pompeo
1 year, 11 months ago

China's Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world, spread new Covid-19 variant, warns Mike Pompeo

Firstpost  

Washington: Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has warned that Chinese President Xi Jinping has a plot to infect the world and spread a new Covid-19 variant. The former Trump official told radio host John Catsimatidis that Covid could rapidly spread across the globe because more Chinese residents are now free to travel after the Xi administration dropped its strict …

Leaked notes from Chinese health officials estimate 250 million Covid-19 infections in December: reports
2 years ago

Leaked notes from Chinese health officials estimate 250 million Covid-19 infections in December: reports

CNN  

Hong Kong CNN — Almost 250 million people in China may have caught Covid-19 in the first 20 days of December, according to an internal estimate from the nation’s top health officials, Bloomberg News and the Financial Times reported Friday. How the NHC came up with the estimates cited by Bloomberg and the Financial Times is unclear, as China is …

China says no new Covid deaths, but crematoriums ‘overwhelmed’ | Top points
2 years ago

China says no new Covid deaths, but crematoriums ‘overwhelmed’ | Top points

Hindustan Times  

While reports and social media posts claim that hospitals in China are struggling, pharmacy shelves have been stripped bare and many crematoriums are overwhelmed, China on Wednesday said “no one had died of Covid-19 the previous day”, after changing the criteria such that most virus deaths are no longer counted. Patients recover at a hospital in Zhuozhou city in northern …

WHO “very concerned” about reports of severe COVID in China
2 years ago

WHO “very concerned” about reports of severe COVID in China

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The head of the World Health Organization said the agency is “very concerned” about rising reports of severe coronavirus disease across China after the country largely abandoned its “zero COVID” policy, warning that its lagging vaccination rate could result in large numbers of vulnerable people getting infected. At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus …

Chinese with mild COVID-19 urged to work as restrictions ease
2 years ago

Chinese with mild COVID-19 urged to work as restrictions ease

The Hindu  

Several local governments in China encouraged people with mild cases of COVID-19 to go to work this week, another sign of the difficulty the country faces as its rollback of virus-containment measures sets off a wave of infections — and a growing number of deaths. Health authorities reported Tuesday that five people died in the latest 24-hour period, all in …

Beijing reports two COVID-19 deaths as coronavirus surges amid relaxed rules
2 years ago

Beijing reports two COVID-19 deaths as coronavirus surges amid relaxed rules

LA Times  

A family member holding the photo of a deceased relative walks beside the hearse outside a fever clinic in Beijing on Monday. Chinese health authorities Monday announced two new COVID-19 deaths, both in Beijing, that were the first reported in weeks and come during an expected surge of illnesses after the nation eased its strict approach to the coronavirus. With …

China could see nearly a million deaths as it exits zero-Covid, study says
2 years ago

China could see nearly a million deaths as it exits zero-Covid, study says

CNN  

Editor’s Note: A version of this story appeared in CNN’s Meanwhile in China newsletter, a three-times-a-week update exploring what you need to know about the country’s rise and how it impacts the world. Hong Kong CNN — China’s abrupt and under-prepared exit from zero-Covid could lead to nearly 1 million deaths, according to a new study, as the country braces …

‘Excessive’: North Korea’s COVID curbs blamed for food crisis
2 years, 1 month ago

‘Excessive’: North Korea’s COVID curbs blamed for food crisis

Al Jazeera  

Pyongyang has substantially ramped up border security since January 2020, according to satellite images. North Korean authorities have imposed “excessive and unnecessary” border measures since January 2020, including upgraded fences, guard posts and patrol roads, an analysis of satellite images by Human Rights Watch shows. HRW said it had spoken to five North Korean defectors involved in smuggling goods in …

N. Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter US
2 years, 3 months ago

N. Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter US

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government, state media said Friday. The new law spells out conditions where North would be inclined to use its nuclear …

N. Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter US
2 years, 3 months ago

N. Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter US

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stressed his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government, state media said Friday. The law spells out conditions where North would be inclined to use its nuclear weapons, …

North Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter U.S.
2 years, 3 months ago

North Korea says it will never give up nukes to counter U.S.

The Hindu  

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un says his country will never abandon the nuclear weapons and missiles it needs to counter the United States, which he accused of pushing a pressure campaign to weaken the North’s defenses and eventually collapse his government. State media said Friday that Mr. Kim made the comments during a speech at North Korea’s rubber-stamp parliament …

South Korea proposes meeting with North on family reunions
2 years, 3 months ago

South Korea proposes meeting with North on family reunions

NPR  

South Korea proposes meeting with North on family reunions Enlarge this image toggle caption Lee Jin-man/AP Lee Jin-man/AP SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea's new government on Thursday proposed a meeting with North Korea to resume reunions of families separated since the 1950-53 Korean War, despite long-strained ties between the rivals over the North's nuclear weapons program. Since taking office …

North Korea says new fever cases were flu, not COVID-19
2 years, 3 months ago

North Korea says new fever cases were flu, not COVID-19

India TV News  

North Korea on Friday said the latest fever cases detected in its border region with China were tested to be influenza, not coronavirus infections as initially feared. While Kim claimed that the country's success against the virus would be recognized as a global health miracle, experts believe North Korea has manipulated disclosures on its outbreak to help him maintain absolute …

North Korea declares victory over Covid, suggests leader Kim had it
2 years, 4 months ago

North Korea declares victory over Covid, suggests leader Kim had it

India Today  

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared victory over COVID-19 and his sister indicated that he too caught the virus, while vowing "deadly retaliation" against South Korea, which the North blames for causing the outbreak. Kim ordered the lifting of maximum anti-epidemic measures imposed in May though adding that North Korea must maintain a "steel-strong anti-epidemic barrier and intensifying …

Kim Jong Un claims ‘victory’ over COVID, blames South Korea
2 years, 4 months ago

Kim Jong Un claims ‘victory’ over COVID, blames South Korea

Al Jazeera  

North Korean leader lifts pandemic restrictions as senior official says death toll of 74 an ‘unprecedented miracle’ in world health. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared “victory” in his country’s battle against COVID-19 and ordered pandemic restrictions, imposed in May, to be lifted. Easley added that Kim Yo Jong’s bellicose rhetoric was a concern “because not only will …

North Korea reports no new ‘fever’ cases for first time since May
2 years, 4 months ago

North Korea reports no new ‘fever’ cases for first time since May

Al Jazeera  

The official case count has dropped sharply in recent days and Pyongyang has held mass events where many people were unmasked. North Korea has reported no new “fever” cases for the first time since mid-May when it abruptly announced its first domestic outbreak of COVID-19, and imposed tough measures to curb the spread of the virus. The North’s state emergency …

North Korea pushes traditional medicine to fight COVID-19
2 years, 5 months ago

North Korea pushes traditional medicine to fight COVID-19

Associated Press  

PAJU, South Korea — As a medical student in North Korea, Lee Gwang-jin said he treated his fevers and other minor ailments with traditional herbal medicine. “North Korea is using Koryo medicine a lot … but it’s not a sure remedy,” said Lee, who studied Koryo medicine before he fled North Korea in 2018 for a new life in South …

North Korea says nearing end of COVID crisis
2 years, 5 months ago

North Korea says nearing end of COVID crisis

Al Jazeera  

The isolated country’s claim comes as Asian neighbours are battling a new wave of infections driven by Omicron subvariants. North Korea is on the path to “finally defuse” a crisis stemming from its first acknowledged outbreak of COVID-19, the state news agency said on Monday, while Asian neighbours battle a new wave of infections driven by Omicron subvariants. “Under the …

N. Korea suggests balloons flown from South brought COVID-19
2 years, 5 months ago

N. Korea suggests balloons flown from South brought COVID-19

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea suggested Friday its COVID-19 outbreak began in people who had contact with balloons flown from South Korea — a highly questionable claim that appeared to be an attempt to hold its rival responsible amid increasing tensions over its nuclear program. South Korea’s Unification Ministry said there was no chance South Korean balloons might have …

North Korea blames 'alien things' near South Korea border for Covid outbreak
2 years, 5 months ago

North Korea blames 'alien things' near South Korea border for Covid outbreak

India Today  

North Korea claimed on Friday the country's first Covid outbreak began with patients touching "alien things" near the border with South Korea, apparently shifting blame to the neighbour for the wave of infections that hit the isolated country. North Korean defectors and activists in South Korea had for decades flown balloons carrying leaflets and humanitarian aid across the heavily fortified …

South Korea approves first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine
2 years, 5 months ago

South Korea approves first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine

LA Times  

South Korean Minister of Food and Drug Safety Oh Yu-kyoung speaks at a news briefing in the city of Cheongju on Wednesday. Health officials in South Korea on Wednesday approved the country’s first domestically developed COVID-19 vaccine for people 18 years or older, adding another tool in the fight against the pandemic. In clinical trials involving some 4,000 participants in …

North Korea may declare victory over Covid just a month after detecting outbreak
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korea may declare victory over Covid just a month after detecting outbreak

India Today  

It’s only been a month since North Korea acknowledged having an COVID-19 outbreak, after steadfastly denying any cases for more than two years. The South Korean government as well as some experts believe that North Korea may soon declare that it has beaten the virus, linked, of course, to leader Kim Jong Un’s strong and clever guidance. DAILY FEVER CASES …

WHO: COVID-19 deaths rise, reversing a 5-week decline
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO: COVID-19 deaths rise, reversing a 5-week decline

Associated Press  

GENEVA — After five weeks of declining coronavirus deaths, the number of fatalities reported globally increased by 4% last week, according to the World Health Organization. In its weekly assessment of the pandemic issued on Thursday, the U.N. health agency said there were 8,700 COVID-19 deaths last week, with a 21% jump in the Americas and a 17% increase in …

North Korea reports another infectious disease outbreak amid COVID-19 wave
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korea reports another infectious disease outbreak amid COVID-19 wave

Firstpost  

Some observers say the ‘an enteric epidemic’ refers to an infectious disease like typhoid, dysentery or cholera, which routinely occur in North Korea Seoul, South Korea: North Korea on Thursday reported the eruption of another infectious disease in addition to its ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, saying leader Kim Jong Un has donated his private medicines to those stricken with the new …

North Korea reports another disease outbreak amid COVID wave
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korea reports another disease outbreak amid COVID wave

India TV News  

Highlights North Korea on June 16 reported the eruption of another infectious disease It is in addition to its ongoing COVID pandemic outbreak Kim Jong Un has donated his private medicines to those stricken with the new disease North Korea on Thursday reported the eruption of another infectious disease in addition to its ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, saying leader Kim Jong …

North Korean leader reaffirms arms buildup in party meeting
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korean leader reaffirms arms buildup in party meeting

The Hindu  

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un doubled down on his arms buildup in the face of what he described as an aggravating security environment while outside governments monitor signs of a possibly imminent North Korean nuclear test explosion. Mr. Kim’s comments during a major three-day political conference that wrapped up Friday didn’t include any direct criticism of the United States …

WHO: COVID cases and deaths falling nearly everywhere
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO: COVID cases and deaths falling nearly everywhere

Associated Press  

GENEVA — The number of new coronavirus cases and deaths reported globally fell everywhere last week except the Middle East and Southeast Asia, according to the World Health Organization. In its latest weekly update on the pandemic, the U.N. health agency said Wednesday that confirmed cases dropped 12% to more than 3 million and reported deaths declined 22% to about …

WHO believes COVID getting worse, not better in North Korea
2 years, 6 months ago

WHO believes COVID getting worse, not better in North Korea

Associated Press  

LONDON — A top official at the World Health Organization said the U.N. health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is “getting worse, not better,” despite the secretive country’s recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there. At a briefing on Wednesday, WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about the COVID-19 …

Covid "getting worse, not better" in North Korea: WHO
2 years, 6 months ago

Covid "getting worse, not better" in North Korea: WHO

India Today  

A top official at the World Health Organization said the UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is “getting worse, not better,” despite the secretive country’s recent claims that COVID-19 is slowing there. At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO’s emergencies chief Dr. Mike Ryan appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about the Covid-19 outbreak …

COVID getting worse, not better in North Korea: World Health Organization
2 years, 6 months ago

COVID getting worse, not better in North Korea: World Health Organization

India TV News  

Highlights WHO said UN health agency assumes the coronavirus outbreak in North Korea is “getting worse" WHO’s emergencies chief appealed to North Korean authorities for more information about COVID cases WHO has previously also voiced concerns about impact of COVID in North Korea’s population Coronavirus outbreak in North Korea : A top official at the World Health Organization said the …

COVID amid food insecurity: A perfect storm is brewing in N Korea
2 years, 6 months ago

COVID amid food insecurity: A perfect storm is brewing in N Korea

Al Jazeera  

Widespread malnutrition and the absence of a stable health system are exacerbating the impact of COVID-19 in the country. On May 12, North Korea reported the country’s first COVID outbreak, a significant public admission after two and a half years of stringent lockdowns and border closures. Omicron, the variant behind North Korea’s outbreak, is estimated to be asymptomatic in close …

N. Korea moves to soften curbs amid doubts over COVID counts
2 years, 6 months ago

N. Korea moves to soften curbs amid doubts over COVID counts

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other top officials discussed revising stringent anti-epidemic restrictions during a meeting Sunday, state media reported, as they maintained a widely disputed claim that the country’s first COVID-19 outbreak is slowing. But many outside health experts view most of the reported fever cases as COVID-19, saying North Korean authorities would …

North Korea's tiny COVID-19 death rate met with widespread doubt
2 years, 6 months ago

North Korea's tiny COVID-19 death rate met with widespread doubt

Firstpost  

Some observers say North Korea is underreporting fatalities to protect leader Kim Jong Un at all costs. “Scientifically, their figures can’t be accepted,” said Lee Yo Han, a professor at Ajou University Graduate School of Public Health in South Korea, adding that the public data “were likely all controlled and embedded with their political intentions.” The most likely course is …

Widespread disbelief over N. Korea’s tiny COVID death rate
2 years, 6 months ago

Widespread disbelief over N. Korea’s tiny COVID death rate

Associated Press  

SEOUL, South Korea — According to North Korea, its fight against COVID-19 has been impressive: About 3.3 million people have been reported sick with fevers, but only 69 have died. “Scientifically, their figures can’t be accepted,” said Lee Yo Han, a professor at Ajou University Graduate School of Public Health in South Korea, adding that the public data “were likely …

North Korea suffers amid COVID surge, hunger
2 years, 7 months ago

North Korea suffers amid COVID surge, hunger

The Hindu  

The last time Ken Eom managed to speak with his family in North Korea, they did not seem particularly worried about contracting the coronavirus. "The last time I was able to get through to them, they did not even mention the virus," said Eom, an advocate for defectors and a keynote speaker for the Seoul-based Freedom Speakers International organization. On …

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