North Korea reports another increase in suspected cases of COVID-19

Outside experts say most of the diseases will be COVID-19, but North Korea has only been able to confirm a small number of COVID-19 cases after recognizing the Omicron outbreak last week, possibly due to inadequate testing capabilities.

Failure to contain the outbreak could have disastrous consequences for North Korea, given the failing health system and the rejection of an internationally recommended vaccine that has immunized 26 million people.

Given the lack of tests and resources to monitor patients, the disease almost certainly outweighs the number of fevers, and there are also doubts that North Korea is not detecting enough deaths to mitigate the blow to Kim, who is already found. at the worst moment. it’s been ten years. Current. The pandemic has further damaged the economy, already fractured by mismanagement and US-led sanctions on the development of Kim’s nuclear weapons and missiles.

North Korea’s official news agency said Tuesday that Kim, during a meeting with the ruling party’s politburo, criticized officials for responding early to the outbreak, emphasizing the state’s “immaturity in dealing with the crisis “and blaming the insecurity and inertia.

The KCNA on Wednesday urged authorities to step up virus control in the workplace and “redouble efforts” to improve the provision of daily necessities and stabilize living conditions.

Kim’s comments come just days after he squashed officials over how they handled the distribution of drugs released from state reserves and mobilized his troops to help transport supplies to the capital, Pyongyang, where pharmacies are open 24 hours a day. solve the crisis.

About 3,000 members of the Korean People’s Army medical unit helped distribute drugs to pharmacies, and more than 1.4 million public health officials, teachers and students were tested to identify people with symptoms, he said. KCNA. quarantined.

Due to a lack of public health tools like vaccines, antiviral pills, and intensive care units that reduce hospitalizations and mortality in other countries, North Korea relies on finding people with symptoms and isolating them in shelters.

Concerned about the spread of the disease, Kim stressed that economic goals should also be met. According to state media, large groups of workers continue to gather on farms, mines, power plants and construction sites to make sure their jobs “go as planned.”

Prior to the recognition of COVID-19 infections last Thursday, North Korea insisted on setting an excellent record for holding the virus the world had nearly reached thus far, a questionable claim. But tighter border closures, massive blockades, and propaganda emphasizing virus checking as a matter of “national existence” may have prevented a major explosion so far.

It is unclear whether the Northern recognition of the spread of COVID-19 expresses the desire for foreign aid. The Kim government avoided the millions of vaccinations offered by the UN-backed COVAX delivery program, possibly due to international monitoring requirements.

North Korea and Eritrea are the only sovereign UN member states that do not use the vaccine. Tedros Adhano Gebreius, director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), said in a briefing Tuesday that the agency has offered to send vaccines, drugs, tests and technical assistance to both countries, but neither country has still answered.

“The WHO is deeply concerned about the threat of further spread (to North Korea),” Tedros said, adding that the country has an alarming number of underlying conditions that put it at risk of serious disease.

The head of the World Health Organization, Dr. Michael Ryan said any unconfirmed transmission in countries like North Korea and Eritrea could contribute to the emergence of new options, but WHO does not have the power to act until countries receive help.

The North has so far ignored rival Korea’s offer to procure vaccines, drugs and medical personnel, but experts say the North may be more willing to accept help from its main ally, China. The South Korean government said it could not confirm media reports that North Korea flew several planes on Tuesday to return ambulance supplies from China.

KCNA said North Korean officials continued to express confidence in Tuesday’s meeting that the country could overcome the crisis independently, as Politburo members considered ways to “continuously maintain good chances on a common epidemic prevention front. “.

While Kim was first seen wearing masks after North Korea admitted to COVID-19 infections last week, state media photos from Tuesday’s meeting showed Kim and Politburo members naked, engaging in a discussion with a possible expression of trust.

With the COVID-19 bombing of North Korea on the verge of forcing the United States to recognize the North as a nuclear power, provocative weapons demonstrations have been launched, including testing the first continental ballistic missile in nearly five years. Negotiating economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

There are also signs that the North is rebuilding a nuclear test site that was last active in 2017 in preparation for the resumption of nuclear explosive tests, which US and South Korean officials say may take place this month.

The latest commercial satellite images from the Pungier-ri test site indicate a disused and disused tunnel in the southern part of the region, likely being completed for a nuclear test, according to an analysis published Tuesday by Beyond Parallel. , a website operated by the Washington Center for Strategic and International Studies.