North Korea Reports Downward Fever Cases, But Does Not Have Detailed Data On The Number Of COVID-19 Patients

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JAKARTA - Daily cases of fever in North Korea have fallen drastically. Now it's under 100,000 for the first time.

The decline comes less than three weeks after North Korea first acknowledged there was a COVID-19 outbreak.

The isolated country has recently been battling a wave of COVID-19 since declaring a state of emergency and imposing a nationwide lockdown this month.

The conditions have sparked fears of a lack of vaccines, medical supplies and food shortages.

As of Friday evening May 27, 88,520 more people showed symptoms of fever compared to nearly 400,000 people about 10 days ago, said the official KCNA news agency, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention center and quoted by Antara.

The total number of fever patients since April rose to 3.36 million among a population of 25 million. KCNA did not report any additional deaths. As of Friday (27/5), the death toll remains at 69 people.

North Korea has yet to confirm the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19, appearing to be in short supply of test kits. Experts say the figures announced may be underreported and it is difficult to assess the true scale of the situation.

State media said "all sectors and units" in the country "are maintaining maximum vigilance and mobilizing capabilities" to fight the virus. Authorities encourage "rigorous, rapid and sophisticated" medical examinations and tests.

"Multi-layered protective barriers have been built for the lockdown and closure of capital cities, borders, front lines, coasts, seas and airspace in order to thoroughly check the entry of new virus variants," KCNA added.

South Korea and the United States have offered to help North Korea fight the pandemic, including with a vaccine, but Pyongyang has not responded.