Authorities in the North Korean capital Pyongyang have ordered a five-day lockdown due to an unspecified increase in cases of respiratory illness, the Russian Embassy and Seoul-based NK News reported on Wednesday, citing government news.
The notice, shared by the embassy on its Facebook page, said that “a special anti-epidemic period has been established” and asked foreign delegations to keep their employees inside. The order also calls for individuals to take their temperature four times a day and report the results to the hospital by phone.
The news did not mention about COVID-19 although it mentioned “recurring cases of flu and other respiratory diseases in winter”.
The lock was first reported by South Korea’s NK News, which monitors secretive North Korea.
On Tuesday, the website reported that Pyongyang residents appeared to be hoarding items in anticipation of stricter measures. It is unclear if other parts of the country have implemented the new lockdown.
North Korea acknowledged its first outbreak of COVID-19 last year, but in August it declared victory over the virus.
It has never confirmed how many people have contracted COVID, apparently because they don’t have the means to conduct widespread testing.
However, Pyongyang reported a daily high of 4.77 million fever patients, out of a population of around 25 million. But it has not reported the case since July 29.
State media continue to report on anti-pandemic measures to combat respiratory diseases, including the flu, but have yet to report on the lockdown order.
On Tuesday, state news agency KCNA said the city of Kaesong, near the border with South Korea, had intensified a public communication campaign “so that all working people voluntarily implement anti-epidemic regulations during work and life”.
Source: Reuters
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