North Korea has identified its first ever case of Covid-19, according to state media, which called the situation a “major national emergency.

North Korea declares ‘major national emergency’ as first case of Covid-19 identified, state media reports

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2022-05-12 14:00:08

North Korea has identified its first ever case of Covid-19, according to state media, which called the situation a “major national emergency.”

It’s unclear how many infections have been detected but state-run news agency KCNA reported on Thursday that cases of the Omicron variant had been found in the capital Pyongyang.

Samples collected from a group of people experiencing fevers on May 8 tested positive for the highly contagious Omicron variant, KCNA reported.

An outbreak of Covid-19 could prove dire for North Korea. The country’s dilapidated health care infrastructure is unlikely to be up to the task of treating a large number of patients with a highly infectious disease.

North Korea had not previously acknowledged any coronavirus cases, though few believe that a country of around 25 million people has been spared by a virus that has infected millions worldwide.

On Thursday, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered lockdown measures in all cities and directed the distribution of medical supplies the party had reportedly stocked in case of a Covid emergency, according to KCNA.