The North Korean army has stepped up the distribution of drugs to fight the Covid-19 epidemic, the official KCNA news agency announced on Tuesday (May 17), which reported nearly 1.5 million people. case of "fever".

Leader Kim Jong-un has ordered a nationwide lockdown to try to stem the spread of the virus in the country, whose population is unvaccinated.

He also strongly criticized the government and health authorities on Monday for their handling of the epidemic, in particular the inability to keep pharmacies open at all times. 

Hundreds of Korean People's Army service members in camouflage uniforms were seen gathering in the capital Pyongyang in photos released by KCNA.

The military "has urgently deployed its strong forces to all pharmacies in Pyongyang city and started supplying drugs as part of a 24-hour service," KCNA said.

Kim Jong-un criticizes his government

Since the country announced its first case of Covid last Thursday, the leader has taken personal responsibility for the fight against the epidemic, which he says is causing "great upheaval" in the country.

Authorities have reported more than 1.48 million cases of "fever" and 56 deaths since the appearance of Covid in the country and "at least 663,910 people are receiving medical treatment", according to the same source. 

Authorities have stepped up media awareness campaigns and pharmaceutical companies have increased drug production, KCNA said.

Under-equipped hospitals

North Korea's healthcare system was ranked 193rd out of 195 countries in a study by Johns Hopkins University of the United States last year.

The country's hospitals are notoriously under-equipped, with few intensive care units.

According to experts, the country has no treatment for Covid-19 and does not have the capacity to massively test its population.

“Most North Koreans are chronically malnourished and unvaccinated, there is hardly any medicine left in the country, and the health infrastructure is unable to cope with this pandemic,” said Lina Yoon. , a Korea researcher at Human Rights Watch.

She called on the international community to offer medicines, vaccines and infrastructure to North Korea.

South Korea's new president, Yoon Suk-yeol, has taken a tougher stance than his predecessor on his nuclear-armed neighbour.

On Monday, he told the National Assembly that he "would not hesitate to provide the necessary assistance to the North Korean people" on condition that they accept it.

So far, Pyongyang has not responded to Seoul's offer, according to South Korea's unification ministry.

With AFP

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