While the coronavirus pandemic around the world has lead to death of more than 80,000 people, North Korea has maintained that the country has no positive cases of the virus.?
According to Reuters, World Health Organisation (WHO) told the news agency?that the country continues testing and has more than 500 people in quarantine.?
The WHO, which said it had been receiving weekly updates from the health ministry, said that the reclusive country had the capacity to test coronavirus in its national reference laboratory in the capital Pyongyang.??
As of 2 April, 709 people - 11 foreigners and 698 nationals - have been tested for COVID-19. There is no report of a COVID-19 case. There are 509 people in quarantine two foreigners and 507 nationals, Dr. Edwin Salvador, the WHO Representative to the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea (DPRK), said in an email reply.??
Those claims have drawn skepticism from many experts, who have also raised concern about the North Korea's lack of diagnostic equipment and chronically underfunded healthcare sector.
Tuesday¡¯s remarks will likely do little to stem those fears: while North Korea has reportedly tested only 709 people for COVID-19, South Korea has, in contrast, tested 477,304.
North Korea has said that it has received diagnostic test from both China and Russia, allowing it to carry out an extensive testing programme.?
The country¡¯s leadership has put thousands of its people and hundreds of foreigners, including diplomats, into isolation.
North Korea?being a peculiar case, there is no concrete evidence to suggest the East Asian country has had no cases so far, but the government has so far stood firm ans said there are no COVID-19 positive people in the country.