Reports Of Another `Epidemic' In North Korea

#16,824

North Korea, which is highly secretive and exercises tight control over all media, reported their `first' outbreak of COVID just over a month ago, albeit as an `unidentified fever' sweeping the nation (see North Korea Orders Lockdown Over 1st Reported COVID Outbreak).

Although details on their COVID epidemic are scant - and impossible to verify - state media has reported on more than 4.5 million cases since late April, along with an incredulously low CFR (Case Fatality Rate) of 0.002%. 

Overnight DPRK state media KCNA announced an `acute enteric epidemic' in Haeju City located in South Hwanghae Province. The emphasis of the reporting from KCNA has been on the donations of medicines from President Kim Jong Un's family stockpile, to combat this outbreak. 

Enteric diseases include gastrointestinal maladies such as typhoid, dysentery or cholera, which are spread via the fecal-oral route, often from contaminated food or water. These sorts of outbreaks are not uncommon, particularly in regions where modern wastewater and water treatment facilities are lacking.  

So far, there is no word on the size, or nature, of this latest epidemic.  Or why North Korea has decided to report it publicly. 

This report from KCNAwatch.org.

President of State Affairs Kim Jong Un sends medicines prepared by his family to Haeju City 

Committee of South Hwanghae Province of WPK

Date: 16/06/2022 | Source: Voice of Korea (EN) | Read original version at source

The respected Kim Jong Un sent medicines prepared by his family to the Haeju City Committee of South Hwanghae Province of the Workers' Party of Korea on June 15 as regards the occurrence of acute enteric epidemic in Haeju City of South Hwanghae Province.

Kim Jong Un conveyed the medicines prepared by his family to the headquarters Party Committee and requested it to send the aid medicines to the Haeju City Committee of the WPK and that the City Committee of the Party to grasp in detail those households suffering from pandemic and convey the medicines as early as possible so that they can be helpful to treatment even a little.

He gave instructions that the primary Party committees and Party cells of the departments of the Party Central Committee should organize the work well to prepare with sincerity and send medicines necessary for the treatment of infectious disease occured in and around Haeju City and Kangryong County so as to fulfill their due duty as officials of the Party Central Committee.

Kim Jong Un stressed the need to quarantine those who are suspected to be suffering the acute enteric infectious disease to thoroughly block the route of infection, make correct diagnosis by epidemiological survey and scientific testing method and intensify disinfection of those regions of the outbreak of disease. At the same time, the public health organs of those regions should do well the intensive treatment of patients with utmost sincerity to exterminate the pandemic at an early date, he emphasized.