North Korea confirms first COVID-19 case ever, imposes nationwide lockdown
Confirming its first COVID-19 case on Thursday, North Korea ordered a nationwide lockdown calling it the "gravest national emergency." The samples collected on Sunday from people suffering from fever in Pyongyang tested positive for the Omicron variant, the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said. According to the World Health Organization, as of March, North Korea reported no COVID-19 cases or vaccinations.
Why does this story matter?
Until now, North Korea had boasted of keeping COVID-19 at bay since its emergence. From January 3, 2020, to May 11 this year, there were no confirmed cases of COVID-19 and zero reported deaths from North Korea, the WHO said. North Korea is also believed to have rejected offers of vaccinations from the WHO, China, and Russia. The country's 25 million-strong population remains unvaccinated.
Omicron variant detected in North Korea
"There has been the biggest emergency incident in the country, with a hole in our emergency quarantine front, that has been kept safe over the past two years and three months since February 2020," KCNA stated. The news agency also reported that "the state epidemic prevention work shall be switched over to the maximum emergency epidemic prevention system."
Kim Jong-un orders all states to impose strict lockdown
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un chaired a Workers' Party meeting to discuss responses to the first outbreak of the coronavirus. To control the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Kim ordered all cities and counties of the country to "strictly lock down" their regions. Emergency reserve medical supplies would be mobilized, according to KCNA.
Kim calls for stricter border restrictions
In the meeting, Kim said that "the goal was to eliminate the root within the shortest period of time." "He assured us that because of the people's high political awareness...we will surely overcome the emergency and win the emergency quarantine project," KCNA stated. He also called for stricter border restrictions and ordered North Koreans "to completely block the spread of the malicious virus."
Pyongyang had been under lockdown for two days: Reports
Seoul-based NK News reported that areas of the capital Pyongyang had been locked down for two days and people are now resorting to panic buying. Experts believe that North Korea publicly admitting the outbreak of the Omicron variant of the virus means the public health situation must be serious. A major COVID-19 outbreak would be devastating because of the country's poor healthcare system.
NK took severe measures during pandemic
Even though foreign experts dispute North Korea's claim of a "zero COVID-19 case," South Korean officials say the North took severe measures early in 2020 before the virus spread across the world. The country quarantined people with symptoms resembling COVID-19. For two years, all cross-border traffic and trade were halted. The troops were ordered to shoot on sight any trespassers who crossed its borders.
Countries that have 'escaped' the COVID-19 virus
The COVID-19 virus that was first detected in China's Wuhan has spread to every continent including Antarctica. Some pacific islands—that kept the virus out by their geographic isolation—have also reported cases. However, Turkmenistan has reported no cases to the WHO yet. Only Tuvalu—an island country of 12,000 people—has escaped the virus to date, making North Korea one of the last countries to acknowledge infections.
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