820,000 COVID cases reported in North Korea, Kim warns of ‘upheaval’ after explosive outbreak

This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

820,000 COVID cases reported in North Korea, Kim warns of ‘upheaval’ after explosive outbreak Until Thursday, North Korea had denied it had any Covid cases and has also has refused vaccines from the outside world Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images

Article content (Bloomberg) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called the growing outbreak of a fever “the big upheaval since the nation’s founding” as state media reported more new cases Saturday.

Advertisement 2 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or 820,000 COVID cases reported in North Korea, Kim warns of ‘upheaval’ after explosive outbreak Back to video There were about 296,000 cases of fever with 15 deaths, the Korean Central News Agency said, adding to the more than 170,000 cases reported the previous day. The total death toll stands at 42. Kim has ordered a lockdown of major cities since the country said earlier this week it found a Covid case within its borders. With some 820,000 cases reported since, Kim is seeking to beef up quarantine efforts as the outbreak has the potential to devastate a population that relies on an antiquated health care system and remains largely malnourished, with likely no vaccines. In a Workers’ Party meeting on Saturday, Kim called on officials to be confident they can contain the contagion as the outbreak remains limited to certain areas and to learn from other countries, especially China, on ways to deal with it, the Korean Central News Agency reported.

Advertisement 3 Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content More On This Topic North Korea kept COVID out all this time. Or it's been lying China bolts people inside their homes to keep COVID at bay He also criticized party organs for “incompetence and a lack of responsibility” and called for preparing the political organization to win the fight. Until Thursday, North Korea had denied it had any Covid cases, a claim doubted by experts in the U.S., Japan and other countries. It has also refused vaccines from the outside world. The administration of new South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, who has pledged to take a tough line on Pyongyang for its security threats, offered to send Covid vaccines and other medicines. North Korea closed its borders more than two years ago with China, its biggest trade partner. Along with international sanctions, the measures have walloped North Korea’s sanctions-hit economy.

Share this article in your social network

Advertisement Story continues below This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

NP Posted Sign up to receive the daily top stories from the National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. Email Address There was an error, please provide a valid email address. Sign Up By clicking on the sign up button you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. You may unsubscribe any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the bottom of our emails. Postmedia Network Inc. | 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4 | 416-383-2300 Thanks for signing up! A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox. We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again