COVID in North Korea is going to 'become worse, not better,' according to the WHO

Image: Reuters Berita 24 English - In the lack of impartial evidence, the World Health Organization has put doubt on North Korea's claim...

Image: Reuters

Berita 24 English - In the lack of impartial evidence, the World Health Organization has put doubt on North Korea's claims of success in the fight against a COVID-19 outbreak, saying it believes the situation is growing worse, not better.

The COVID outbreak has subsided, according to North Korean official media, after daily fever counts peaked at 390,000 around two weeks ago.

Pyongyang has never stated how many people have tested positive for the virus, but analysts believe the data published through government-controlled media are underreported, making it difficult to estimate the situation's scope.

During a video conference on Wednesday, WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan said, "We assume the situation is becoming worse, not better."

He claimed that the WHO had no access to any sensitive information other than the data that were publicly released by state media.

"We're having tremendous problems obtaining access to raw data and the actual situation on the ground," Ryan said, adding that the WHO is collaborating with neighbors such as South Korea and China to get a better picture.

He added the WHO has provided help on several occasions, including vaccines and supplies.

North Korea's state news agency KCNA stated on Thursday that 96,610 more persons had fever as part of a statewide lockdown aimed at managing the impoverished country's first verified COVID-19 epidemic.

The media, on the other hand, made no mention of any additional deaths.

Provinces were "intensifying" their anti-epidemic efforts, according to KCNA, which included enforcing some lockdowns and coastline blockades, increasing medicine and medical supply manufacturing, and disinfection activities.

However, important activity such as farming continued.

According to KCNA, North Korean Premier Kim Tok Hun examined two pharmaceutical plants as part of an effort to bring the country's medicine industry "to a new higher level," which includes matching international standards.

"In the current intensive anti-epidemic campaign, sufficient manufacturing and supply of medications serve as a requirement for protecting people's lives and health," he stated.