WHO Ensures There Are No Cases Of COVID-19 In North Korea

Illustration (Pixabay)

JAKARTA - Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergency Program, Dr Mike Ryan, said there was no indication of the presence of a new coronavirus or COVID-19 case in North Korea (North Korea).

The statement was issued after South Korean (South Korean) media said that the COVID-19 outbreak had spread to the country led by Kim Jong-un.

"At the moment there is no sign, no indication we are dealing with COVID-19 there (North Korea)," said Dr Mike Ryan during a press conference in Geneva.

WHO officials said they had no reason to believe the virus was present in North Korea on Wednesday, February 19. WHO has also fully left the North Korean authorities to carry out a diagnostic test for COVID-19 there.

Several South Korean media reported that there were several cases and deaths due to COVID-19 in North Korea. However, the South has not directly verified it. This news raises the assumption that North Korea is covering up the COVID-19 cases that have occurred in the country and rejects foreign intervention.

Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the ruling party in North Korea, quoted a public health official in North Korea as saying that the country had no recent cases of COVID-19 so far.

Last week the US State Department said it was very concerned about the possible impact of the COVID-19 outbreak in North Korea. The US believes that North Korea limits everything, including human resources in the health sector. Therefore, the US is ready to facilitate its efforts and international organizations to tackle the spread of COVID-19 in this closed country.

The WHO has also called for relief from sanctions that restrict most trade and business with North Korea.

As well as being one of the most closed countries in the world, North Korea has also stopped flights and closed rail travel services with neighboring countries.

North Korea is the first country to block access to foreign tourists entering its borders in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Since then, North Korea has sunk even further after restricting trade with China and limiting diplomatic travel to China in the hope that COVID-19 does not spread across its borders.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un also canceled the annual parade, which the North Korean military usually celebrates, without explanation. Many speculated that the cancellation of the parade was due to residents who had contracted COVID-19. However, experts say that the cancellation is a form of preventing the spread of COVID-19.

To mitigate global shortages of some supplies for # COVID19, WHO has dispatched over 12,000kg personal protective equipment to priority countries in the @WHOWPRO, @WHOSEARO & @ WHOAFRO.WHO Situation Report 18 February https://t.co/j4UYLVtTdL#coronavirus pic.twitter.com/ccRtSU68Zk

- World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) February 18, 2020

WHO has also prioritized assistance for North Korea. A shipment of protective gear supplies will be dispatched within this week.

"The (North Korean) government is also very anxious like you, like all governments. To make preparations and seek technical and operational assistance we are ready to help them," said Dr Mike Ryan.