The North Korean military has begun distributing covid-19 drugs to pharmacies in Pyongyang as the epidemic spread across the country, with the official KCNA news agency reporting nearly 1.5 million cases of “fever”.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has imposed a national lockdown in a bid to curb the spread of unvaccinated covid-19 in the country, and has deployed troops to help fight the epidemic.
Hundreds of members of the Korean People’s Army, wearing camouflage uniforms, gathered in Pyongyang, according to images broadcast by the KCNA.
The army “expanded its strength in all pharmacies in Pyongyang and began distributing medicines as part of a 24-hour service,” the source said.
Kim Jong Un on Monday sharply criticized the North Korean authorities for the way they manage the epidemic, mainly for their inability to keep pharmacies open 24 hours a day.
Since last Thursday, when the country announced the first case of covid-19, the North Korean leader has personally taken over the management of the fight against the epidemic, which, according to him, has caused “great unrest” in North Korea.
Authorities reported more than 1.48 million cases of “fever” and 56 deaths following the outbreak of covid-19 in the country, with “at least 663,910 people receiving treatment”.
Chronic malnutrition
North Korean authorities have stepped up public awareness campaigns and laboratories have increased drug production, KCNA reported.
The country’s health system ranks 19th out of 195 countries, according to a report by Johns Hopkins University last year. The country’s hospitals do not have sufficient equipment, while the intensive care units are few. According to experts, North Korea has no cure for covid-19 and does not have the ability to perform mass tests on its population.
“Most North Koreans suffer from chronic malnutrition and are not vaccinated, there are virtually no more drugs in the country and health facilities are not able to deal with this pandemic,” said Lina Yoon, a Korean researcher with Human Rights Watch.
She called on the international community to provide the country with medicines, vaccines and medical equipment.
So far, Pyongyang has not responded to Seoul’s offer to help.
South Korea’s new president, Yoon Sok-gel, has taken a tougher line than his predecessor on the neighboring country.
However, yesterday he stated before the National Assembly that “he will not hesitate to offer the necessary assistance to the North Korean people”, if he accepts it.
Despite the health crisis, new satellite images show that North Korea has resumed construction of a long-suspended nuclear reactor. Washington and Seoul suspect Pyongyang is preparing for a nuclear test, which will be the seventh in its history and the first after 2017.
SOURCE: AMPE
Source: Capital
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
