Pyongyang has never directly confirmed how many people have tested positive for the virus, but experts suspect under-reporting in figures released through government-controlled media, making it difficult to assess the scale of the situation. it happens.
“We believe the situation is getting worse, not better,” WHO emergencies chief Michael Ryan said during a video briefing on Wednesday.
He added that the WHO does not have access to any privileged information beyond the numbers publicly reported by state media.
“We have real issues in getting access to raw data and the real situation on the ground,” Ryan said, adding that the WHO is trying to get a better picture with neighbors like South Korea and China.
He said the WHO has offered assistance on several occasions, including vaccines and supplies.
North Korea reported 96,610 more people showing fever, state news agency KCNA said on Thursday, a move aimed at containing the country’s first confirmed COVID-19 outbreak.
It did not mention whether there were any new deaths.
The KCNA said provinces were “intensifying” their anti-epidemic operations, which included enforcing some lockdowns and coastal barriers, increasing production of medicines and medical supplies, and carrying out disinfection work.
However, major activities such as farming continued.
North Korean Prime Minister Kim Tok-hun inspected a pair of drug factories amid a push to bring the country’s pharmaceutical industry “to a new high”, KCNA reported.
“Adequate production and supply of medicines serve as a prerequisite to protect the lives and health of the people in the current rigorous anti-epidemic campaign,” he said.