North Korea reports 15 new deaths from COVID-19

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, wearing a mask, visits the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters in Pyongyang, May 12, in this screen grab from the North's Korean Central TV. Yonhap

North Korea reported 15 additional deaths from COVID-19 for Saturday, and 296,180 more people with symptoms of fever nationwide.

The new cases, which occurred between Friday evening and 6 p.m. Saturday, raised the total deaths to 42 and the number of those with fever symptoms to over 820,620 since late April, according to the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Among them, more than 496,030 have recovered and at least 324,550 are being treated, it added, citing data compiled by the State Emergency Epidemic Prevention Headquarters.

The North's state-controlled media have used the expression "fevered persons," instead of coronavirus patients or confirmed cases, which observers here view as attributable to lack of coronavirus testing kits and other equipment to confirm infection.

With "swift state emergency measures" taken to curb the spread of the virus, the KCNA said in its English-language report, many of the dead were "careless in taking drugs due to the lack of knowledge and understanding of stealth Omicron variant virus infection disease and its correct treatment method."

It added, "All provinces, cities and counties of the country have been totally locked down and working units, production units and residential units closed from each other since the morning of May 12 and strict and intensive examination of all the people is being conducted." (Yonhap)