THE North Korea ordered a 5day blockade in Pyongyang, the country’s capital, this Wednesday (25th) because of “respiratory diseases,” state media reported. This is the first lockdown in the city since the government declared victory over Covid19 last August.
Pyongyang residents have been ordered to stay home Wednesday through Sunday and undergo multiple daily temperature checks, Seoulbased news website NK News reported, citing a warning from the northern government.
The notice doesn’t mention Covid19, but it does indicate that common flu is among the diseases spreading in the capital, according to the report.
The government order comes a day after NK News reported that residents in North Korea’s largest city appeared to be stocking up on groceries in anticipation of the lockdown.
It was not clear if other parts of the country faced similar measures, and state media did not report such measures.
The Korean peninsula is currently facing a cold spell with temperatures down to minus 22°C in Pyongyang.
North Korea has maintained a strict lockdown since the pandemic began, although it does allow some trade with China.
The country under dictator Kim JongUn admitted its first outbreak of Covid19 in April last year, but soon after claimed victory over the coronavirus, calling it a “miracle”.
However, experts and the ONS (World Health Organization) are questioning North Korea’s statistics on Covid19.
The country has one of the worst healthcare systems in the world, with poorly equipped hospitals, few intensive care units and a shortage of coronavirus medicines.