To confront Covid, North Korea is raising medication and medical supply production
Key Takeaways:
- In the country, an unusually high number of cases of unexplained fever have been observed, most of which are suspected to be Covid-19.
- Because North Korea's population of 25 million people is still unvaccinated against Covid-19, the official media has pushed patients to take painkillers and antibiotics.
North Korea is speeding up medicine and medical supply production due to the devastating Covid-19 outbreak. An extraordinary number of cases of an unexplained fever have been reported in the country, most of which are thought to be Covid-19.
North Korea is also increasing the production of traditional Korean medications used to alleviate fever and pain, as per the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Thursday.
More injections, medications, thermometers, as well as other medical supplies, are being manufactured in Pyongyang and the surrounding areas. On the other side, more isolation wards have been built, and disinfection efforts have been stepped up around the country, according to the KCNA.
The KCNA reported that "thousands of salt were hastily delivered to Pyongyang City to manufacture antiseptic solution."
The above revelation comes as Kim Jong Un, North Korea's supreme leader, has criticized officials for "immaturity" and "slackness" in dealing with the outbreak.
The official media has pushed patients to utilize painkillers and antibiotics because North Korea's population of 25 million people is still unvaccinated against Covid-19. According to Reuters, patients have also been encouraged to try "unverified home remedies" such as gargling salt water or drinking lonicera japonica or willow leaf tea.
After 262,270 new cases of persons with possible Covid-19 symptoms were seen on Thursday, North Korea's caseload of the unexplained fever is approaching two million. A single further death has been reported, bringing the total to 63. The country is under lockdown, and other anti-coronavirus measures are in place.
Amid North Korea's escalating health problem, the US and South Korea offered assistance to combat Covid-19 but have yet to receive a response from Pyongyang, according to Seoul's deputy national security advisor.
However, a diplomatic source familiar with the situation told Reuters that three North Korean planes arrived in China on Monday and flew back to Pyongyang with medical supplies.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has offered North Korea technical assistance as well as supplies, testing, medicines, and vaccines to help stop the virus from spreading. The WHO has requested that the government disclose Covid-19 data and information.