North Korea - 2019-nCov (new coronavirus) - N. Korean tests positive for COVID-19 in China - zero officially confirmed cases - Emergency declared in Kaesong area - February 2, 2020

[Treyfish]

North Korea Quarantines 1,300 Suspected Coronavirus Patients in Large Pyongyang Hotel

2020-02-25
Authorities in North Korea have isolated about 1,300 residents in a makeshift quarantine station at a hotel in the capital Pyongyang, as worries about the possible spread of the novel coronavirus intensify in the isolated country....“Those who cough or have a fever are classified as suspected coronavirus patients,” a Pyongyang official told RFA’s Korean Service Saturday.

“The suspected patients will be closely monitored by the emergency quarantine committee of Pyongyang over the next 20 days,” the official said.

“Currently the number of suspected patients is around 1,300. Another 500 have already been discharged because their symptoms have eased,” the official added.

“[They] are either quarantined in solitary rooms or shared rooms, depending on [the severity] of their symptoms. They are receiving medical treatment from those doctors at the Ministry of Public Health, who are a part of Pyongyang’s emergency quarantine committee,” said the official....RFA reported Friday that a hospital in Chongjin, the largest city in North Hamgyong province cremated 12 patients, claiming they had died of pneumonia or the flu. Residents near the hospital suspect that the 12 might have actually been infected with the coronavirus even though North Korea has not officially reported a single confirmed case.

Many, including South Korean media outlets, have said that it is unlikely that the virus has failed to reach North Korea.

A second source in Pyongyang told RFA that the emergency quarantine has been kicked into high-gear as reports of deaths due to secondary infections trickle in daily from China to the Central Committee (of the Korean Workers’ Party)....https://www.rfa.org/english/news/kor...020033301.html

[Treyfish]

Seoul: Yonhap News) Reporter Chung Byun-na = While North Korea is pushing for intensive prevention measures to prevent the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19), it is also forbidden for residents to gather in public places including restaurants.

The Labor Newspaper of the Labor Party newspaper said on the 25th, "Do not slow down your momentary alerts, but keep your defense business slower." In a time when the whole country is under constant tension, many people gathered in restaurants and other public places. Actions like lifting should be strictly prohibited. ”

The newspaper noted that he was wary of gathering in public places abroad, explaining that "the virus was to prevent disasters beyond control of the network."..https://www.yna.co.kr/view/AKR202002...on=nk/news/all

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SEOUL, Feb. 24 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry said Monday it will postpone the resumption of a tour program to the inter-Korean truce village of Panmunjom as a precaution as the number of new coronavirus cases in South Korea has been rising sharply.

The tours to Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which separates the two Koreas, had been scheduled to take place from Feb. 26-28 for Seoul-based diplomats, displaced people who hail from North Korea and separated families.

But the program has now been called off due to coronavirus concerns, the ministry said.. "postponed until after April ...https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2020022...?section=nk/nk

[Treyfish]

Chosun Central Broadcasting Corporation said on the 24th, "Isolated more than 380 foreigners nationwide, quarantine and medical observation of foreign business travelers, contacts, and people with abnormal symptoms, and medical checkup at all units. Is there. "



Foreigners in quarantine appear to have visited North Korea for trade or diplomacy in Pyongyang.



According to the broadcasting station, Pyongan North also strengthened the quarantine according to the regional characteristics across the border with China. "More than 3,000 medical observers are actively following the power guarantee, material guarantee, heating guarantee, and water guarantee to ensure that there are no inconveniences in life." Said.
https://translate.googleusercontent....Dd4wHo-ZTUNcvQ

[Pathfinder]

Coronavirus in N Korea could be 'much more lethal' than in China

Experts say outbreak in North Korea could pose great risks to a malnourished people already suffering from poor health.

by Joseph Stepansky
24 minutes ago
...
And in a bid to limit the spread of the virus, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un's government has effectively halted all flights and trains to China, imposed screening for anyone coming into the capital, and subjected all foreigners, including diplomats and aid workers, to a month-long quarantine - twice the length imposed by many other countries.

North Korea has also closed its 1,500km-long land border with China, a country that accounts for about 90 percent of trade with Pyongyang...

But despite these measures, one South Korean media outlet that covers North Korea says several people who exhibited symptoms similar to the coronavirus infection, known as COVID-19, have died in recent days. Those reports could not be independently confirmed.
...
In 2019, North Korea ranked last out of 195 countries on its ability to rapidly respond to and mitigate the spread of an epidemic, according to the Global Health Security Index published by US-based John Hopkins University, while ranking 193 overall on its health security and capabilities.
...

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-korea-lethal-china-200219132141267.html

[Treyfish]

WHO to Meet with Officials of N. Korean Mission in Geneva on COVID-19

Update: 2020-02-19 09:18:04

The World Health Organization(WHO) plans to arrange a meeting with the North Korean mission in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss the outbreak of the novel coronavirus or COVID-19.

Michael Ryan, executive director of WHO's health emergencies program, said in a press briefing on Tuesday in Geneva that the WHO will soon meet with the officials.

Ryan said there is no reason to believe North Korea has specific issues at the moment, but the authorities are concerned about the virus outbreak as are other governments. ...http://world.kbs.co.kr/service/news_...eq_Code=151424

[Treyfish]

N. Korea reaffirms no new coronavirus infection

North Korea 22:09 February 18, 2020

SEOUL, Feb. 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's health minister said Tuesday that there have been no cases of the new coronavirus on its soil amid speculation that Pyongyang might be concealing an outbreak.

Minister of Public Health Oh Chun-bok made the remarks during an interview with the North's Korean Central Television in the first such statement by the communist country's top health official.

"The fact that not a single confirmed or suspected case of the new coronavirus has been found in our country could cause people to be caught off-guard," Oh said, calling for strengthened quarantine measures against the virus....https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN2020021...?section=nk/nk










North Korea says it has no coronavirus, desperate for international help


http://english.chosun.com/site/data/...021900703.html

[Pathfinder]

N. Korea reaffirms no new coronavirus infection

All Headlines 08:35 February 18, 2020
...
North Korea has repeatedly emphasized that there has been no confirmed outbreak of the highly contagious virus on its soil, though it suggested that there are people showing suspected symptoms.
...

https://en.yna.co.kr/view/AEN20200218000800325

[Treyfish]

....
Since last month, students from all over the country have come back to Pyongyang to take a vacation and have to pay attention to their corona19 infection management.
The media said, “Medical workers are staying for several nights and conducting check-ups for thousands of students.

In addition, "We are conducting direct and indirect medical examinations to find the righteous people on time, and immediately put hospital staff and students who have a fever or abnormal symptoms such as respiratory disorders, and are putting more power into the business to discriminate symptoms and establish treatment measures." Explained.

He added, “We are also paying attention to the preparation of anti-infectious disease prevention measures while increasing the cure rate by carrying out the therapeutic activities with sufficient oxygen and other medicines including broad antibiotics and antipyretics.

North Korea claims that no corona confirmers have occurred yet....https://lkp.news/news/article.html?no=7618

[Treyfish]

Medical Knowledge Related to Novel Coronavirus Infection (3)

Coronavirus Infection Treatment of the New Provisional Proposal, Prevention and Diagnosis and Treatment of New Coronavirus Infections (1st Edition), described the features of clinic symptoms and disease treatment in children. .

In children, the rimal symptoms of coronavirus infections are characterized by damage to the upper airways (nasal and pharyngitis) and damage to the lower airways (bronchitis, small bronchitis, pharyngitis).

Fever, cold, and sore throat complain of symptoms such as mild fever when the degree of illness is weak, high fever, severe cough, nasal congestion, congestion of the back wall of the throat, shortness of breath and blood oxygen saturation, tachycardia, and breathing. Appears as failure....http://www.rodong.rep.kp/ko/index.ph...020-02-17-0029

[Treyfish]

Ryanggang Province forms local task forces to combat COVID-19

Vinegar is reportedly a hot item among North Koreans because of its supposed "immunity-boosting" affects

By
Kang Mi Jin
-
2020.02.17 3:00pm
North Korean authorities in Ryanggang Province are organizing task forces in the province’s small and medium-sized cities and in rural areas to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Daily NK has learned.

The task forces are reportedly monitoring disease control procedures in local hospitals, businesses and government offices.

“Members of local party committees, people’s committees, hospitals and disease control facilities have been selected to take part in these new task forces,” a Ryanggang Province-based source told Daily NK on Feb. 14. “The first task force was organized in Hyesan in late January and others were created in Sinpa County and other cities along the Sino-North Korean border in February,” the source continued, adding, “The groups were created after officials from the central government visited to check the province’s ability to control an outbreak.”
Daily NK sources said that no COVID-19 infections have yet occurred in Ryanggang Province, but that authorities continue to order local officials to take careful precautions to prevent an outbreak.....https://www.dailynk.com/english/ryan...mbat-covid-19/

[Treyfish]

A North Korean government official who visited a public facility after being quarantined for COVID-19 has reportedly been executed by authorities.
Citing North Korean sources, the South Korean daily, Donga Ilbo reports that the official, who was quarantined for two weeks for having visited China, sneaked into a public bath early this month...http://www.arirang.com/News/News_View.asp?nseq=252443

[Treyfish]

US ready to allow North Korea sanctions exemption amid outbreak fears

• International organisations have called for ‘life-saving intervention’ to allow aid to flow into country that borders China, where virus was first identified
• Personal protective gear and testing kits urgently needed to prepare for possible outbreak, Red Cross says

Reuters

Published: 7:40am,

14 Feb, 2020
The United States is “deeply concerned” about the possible impact of a coronavirus outbreak in North Korea and is prepared to facilitate efforts by US and international organisations to contain the spread of the virus there, the State Department said on Thursday.

“We strongly support and encourage the work of US and international aid and health organisations to counter and contain the spread of coronavirus in the DPRK,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said after the Red Cross called for an urgent exemption to sanctions on Pyongyang to help prevent a coronavirus outbreak.

“The United States is ready and prepared to expeditiously facilitate the approval of assistance from these organisations,” Ortagus added in a statement...https://www.scmp.com/print/news/asia...exemption-amid

[Treyfish]

FEB. 13, 2020 / 10:14 AM

Multiple people die of coronavirus near North Korea

By
Elizabeth Shim

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- A Chinese province bordering North Korea reported its first death from the coronavirus, following multiple deaths confirmed in northeastern China.

China's Shenyang Daily reported a 87-year-old man in Liaoning province died at a hospital in Huludao, a coastal prefecture-level city in the southwest, while undergoing treatment...
..
Other Chinese provinces facing North Korea have reported deaths. Jilin Province, known for its ethnic Korean-Chinese population, reported its first death Feb. 6. The patient was an 81-year-old man residing in Siping, located between Shenyang and Changchun, two major cities in the region. The patient was confirmed for the virus after returning from the central Chinese city of Wuhan, where he had met with his daughter, according to South Korean news agency Yonhap.....https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-N...30/?sl=1&ur3=1

[Treyfish]

no mention of actual patients..

...A group of people go to Xi'an General Clinic and set a good example of sanitary propaganda.
Hyesan, Hyesin, Seonghu, Hyehwa General Clinic and Hyesan Youth Mining Hospital's medical workers are awakening the residents with novelty in various forms and methods.
Medical workers at Hyesan General Clinic are doing their best to inform residents and respond to them in a timely manner as the path of infection of the new type of coronavirus is increasing day by day.
Hyesin General Clinic and Sunghu General Clinic's medical workers also need to boil water and food, and why hygiene propagation and fitness training are important issues. By increasing the effectiveness of hygiene propaganda...

..The quarantine station is raising the demand for treatment and prevention agencies to focus on quarantine projects in line with the strict defense system and order in Xi'an.
Based on the full investigation of foreign business owners and the registration of all foreign nationals under the affiliation with the relevant institutions, medical surveillance and containment of them are organized to establish emergency prevention measures.
Citizens' hospitals and other treatment preventive institutions are in place to find doctors in a timely manner, to isolate patients thoroughly, and to provide medical surveillance to those who have been in contact with these patients for a period of time.
In addition, institutions, factories and enterprises have established a culture of production and life, thoroughly manage hygiene and water, and prevent disinfection...

http://www.minzu.rep.kp/2020/02/bangyokdaechaek/

...The doctors of the town general clinic isolate the residents who have been to foreign business and strictly monitor the medical care of them. And measures to isolate it have been thoroughly taken.
Doctors from the People's Hospital of Daechuri Hospital and Roamri Clinic are also conducting daily check-ups for residents, and have been doing intensive care for patients who have already had a cold or cough.

Headquarters
http://www.minzu.rep.kp/2020/02/anakgun/