WHO to spend $900,000 to help North Korea's fight against COVID-19

In this Feb. 6, 2020, photo, doctors wear masks and protective suits at the Munsu-dong diplomatic compound amid an outbreak of the COVID-19. TASS

The World Health Organization will spend $900,000 to support North Korea's efforts to prevent the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, data showed Wednesday.

According to the data posted on the website of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the WHO will spend the money on COVID-19 response activities in North Korea.

The money was allocated to the agency through the U.N. Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) as part of an "early action response" to global containment of the coronavirus, the website showed.

The North has not reported any confirmed coronavirus infections, but the country has intensified anti-virus efforts by shutting down its border and toughening quarantine criteria amid speculation that it might be concealing an outbreak. (Yonhap)