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Reuters
Reuters
Health
Joori Roh

N.Korea sends aid to 800 families suffering from intestinal epidemic

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sends home-prepared medicines to the Haeju City Committee of the Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) in this photo released by the country's Korean Central News Agency on June 16, 2022. KCNA via REUTERS

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other senior officials prepared aid to send to 800 families suffering from an unidentified intestinal epidemic, state media reported on Friday, as the country also battles its first COVID-19 outbreak.

North Korea revealed this week it was facing an "acute enteric epidemic" on top of a weeks-long outbreak of COVID. It did not elaborate what the disease was, but enteric refers to the gastrointestinal tract.

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sends home-prepared medicines to households in Haeju City in this photo released by the country's Korean Central News Agency on June 16, 2022. KCNA via REUTERS

"The officials ... prepared medicines, foodstuff and daily necessities needed for the treatment of the epidemic and stable life to render aid to the people in Haeju City and Kangryong County (of South Hwanghae Province)," the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

Leader Kim called upon officials "to fulfil their duty in the work for easing the people's misfortune and sufferings as soon as possible," it added.

On Thursday, an official at South Korea's Unification Ministry handling inter-Korean affairs said Seoul is monitoring the outbreak, suspected to be cholera or typhoid.

FILE PHOTO: A sign depicting a scene of medical products transportation is displayed at the empty street, amid growing fears over the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo on May 23, 2022. Kyodo via REUTERS

South Hwanghae Province is North Korea's key agricultural region and the outbreak raised concerns may add to chronic food shortages amid the wave of COVID-19 infections.

North Korea has been reporting patient numbers with fever symptoms, rather than confirmed COVID cases, potentially due to a lack of testing ability.

KCNA on Friday reported 23,160 more people with fever symptoms, bringing the total number in the country since late April to above 4.58 million. The death toll linked to the outbreak is at 73.

FILE PHOTO: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un presides over a politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Pyongyang, North Korea, May 17, 2022, in this photo released May 18, 2022 by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). KCNA via REUTERS

The North has said more than 99% of fever patients have recovered and that the COVID wave has shown signs of subsiding, but the World Health Organization cast doubts on Pyongyang's claims earlier this month, saying it believes the situation is getting worse.

(Reporting by Joori Roh; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)

FILE PHOTO: Members of the North Korean army supply medicines to residents at a pharmacy, amid growing fears over the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Pyongyang, North Korea, in this photo released by Kyodo on May 18, 2022. Mandatory credit Kyodo/via REUTERS
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