North Korea reports 'positive trend' in COVID fight as fever cases dip

22/5/2022 7:00

        For the first time in nearly 10 days North Korea's daily "fever" cases dropped below 200,000, state media said on Sunday, reporting "a positive trend" after
        measures were taken to control the country's first acknowledged COVID-19 outbreak.
        
        The COVID wave, declared on May 12, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million. It has refused most outside help, kept its borders shut and allows no independent confirmation of official data.
        
        Apparently lacking in testing supplies, North Korea has not confirmed the total number of people testing positive for the coronavirus. Instead, health authorities report the number with fever symptoms, making it difficult to assess the scale of the COVID wave, experts have said.
        
        More than 186,090 additional people had fever symptoms and one more person had died, state news agency KCNA reported on Sunday. More than 2 million of the 2.6 million cumulative cases had recovered, KCNA said. The official death toll stands at 67.