Coronavirus: China keeping close watch on ‘explosive’ North Korean outbreak next door

Name: North Korea admits to ‘first’ Covid-19 outbreak, goes into nationwide lockdown
Uploaded: 2022-05-13T13:34:02.000Z
Duration: 1 min 29 s
Description: North Korea admits to ‘first’ Covid-19 outbreak, goes into nationwide lockdown

North Korea reports first death from Omicron as fever symptoms reported by 18,000 more in a single day

Chinese foreign ministry reiterates pledge to help tide over the crisis as a ‘comrade, neighbour and friend’

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un seen removing his mask in a news clip broadcast on South Korean television. Photo: AFP

Liu Zhen

Published: 9:34pm, 13 May 2022Updated: 9:56pm, 13 May 2022

China said it will closely watch the Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea and help in combating the pandemic, as the isolated nation confirmed an “explosive” spread of the disease.

This came as North Korea reported its first death from the Omicron variant, a day after its leader Kim Jong-un ordered all “cities and counties” countrywide to be placed under lockdown to block transmissions.

As many as 18,000 people were found to be experiencing fever symptoms on Thursday alone, the state Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, hours after the country announced a Covid-19 outbreak within its borders for the first time.

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North Korea admits to ‘first’ Covid-19 outbreak, goes into nationwide lockdown

Some 350,000 people have reported similar symptoms since late April, of whom 187,800 are still being treated under isolation.

“A fever whose cause couldn’t be identified spread explosively nationwide from late April,” KCNA said on Friday.

It also reported that six people had died after suffering a fever, with one testing positive for the Omicron variant. However, KCNA said it did not know the cause of the mass fevers, or how many were Covid-19 cases.

Authorities have elevated national quarantine measures to “maximum emergency” level.

China’s foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian reiterated Beijing’s willingness to help its neighbour tide over the crisis.