N.Korea Tells Foreigners To Remain Indoors Due To Dust Storm That May Carry Coronavirus

(@FahadShabbir)

N.Korea Tells Foreigners to Remain Indoors Due to Dust Storm That May Carry Coronavirus

North Korea has warned foreign embassies in the country to remain indoors over the course of the day as an expected dust storm could potentially carry coronavirus into the country, the Russian mission in Pyongyang said Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2020) North Korea has warned foreign embassies in the country to remain indoors over the course of the day as an expected dust storm could potentially carry coronavirus into the country, the Russian mission in Pyongyang said Thursday.

"The DPRK's [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] Foreign Ministry informed our Embassy... that due to the expected approach of a dust storm from China, all foreigners in the DPRK are strongly advised to exclude travel to the city and stay at home and tightly close all windows from the morning until the end of the day on October 22," the Russian embassy wrote on its Facebook page.

Authorities explained that the dust may carry with it pathogens, including the virus behind the global pandemic.

"As they explained, these measures are due to the fact that the novel coronavirus can be introduced into the territory of the republic together with particles of 'yellow dust,'" the embassy wrote.

The statement also said that Russian consulates in the city of Chongjin and the port area of Rason received similar messages.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un claimed that there were no cases of infection with COVID-19 in the country during a speech at an annual military parade.