North Korea: Status unknown

[Stephen Flynn]

WHO says 'no indications' of coronavirus cases in North Korea-

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-northkorea-idUSKBN20D04S

Yet another article says otherwise:

Deadly Outbreak COVID-19 Reportedly Spreads to North Korea

https://futurism.com/neoscope/deadly-outbreak-covid-19-north-korea

“South Korean newspaper Chosun Ilbo reported today that the deadly coronavirus COVID-19 is spreading in North Korea.”

“North Korea hasn’t officially acknowledged any deaths, but experts are suspicious that the reclusive, totalitarian country — which shares a border with China, where the outbreak began — would be able to avoid a local health crisis because of the virus.

“There is no way that North Korea is not being impacted by the coronavirus — they are clearly lying as they don’t want to show any weakness or that there is any threat to the regime,” said director of Korean Studies at the Center for National Interest Harry Kazianis, in an interview with Fox News.

Several weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that North Korea’s response to the outbreak had been to double down on its isolation, blocking even the hermit kingdom’s close ally China from travel and trade.

There’s no question, though, that North Korea is taking the outbreak seriously — albeit with a characteristic brutality. It reportedly executed an official this week, for instance, because he violated its quarantine by visiting a public bath after a trip to China.

Other official responses have been — as is also often the case with North Korea — straight-up puzzling. A North Korean state publication claimed this week, for instance, that the common plant root burdock could cure the virus.

And South Korean publication Daily NK, which specializes in investigative journalism about North Korea, reported earlier this week that authorities there had made cremation mandatory, nominally to prevent infection after death.”

[psk]

This is a news report on the virus from North Korea from the 17th February. It's a lot more forthcoming with information than here in the UK.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2020 by psk

[Stephen Flynn]

Yes, well done.  At the end, "take measures to prevent its spread."

I did not see any acknowledgement or denial of cases within NK, did I miss that?

It's hard to believe that there is none since there's only a river between China and NK and plenty of cases on the other side.

[psk]

At the rate things are moving it's hard to believe there aren't cases everywhere. And no, there was no mention of it being in NK but as you say, the chances are very slim.