WHO Requests COVID-19 Data From North Korea, Offers Assistance - Director General

Muhammad Irfan Published May 17, 2022 | 11:05 PM

The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested COVID-19 statistics from North Korea and offered assistance in combating the first coronavirus outbreak in the country, while expressing concern over unvaccinated North Korean population, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 17th May, 2022) The World Health Organization (WHO) has requested COVID-19 statistics from North Korea and offered assistance in combating the first coronavirus outbreak in the country, while expressing concern over unvaccinated North Korean population, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.

"WHO have requested that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) share data and information. And WHO has offered to provide a package of technical support and supplies, including diagnostic tests, essential medicines, and vaccines ready to be deployed to the country," Ghebreyesus told a briefing.

The director general also raised concern over the further spread of coronavirus, pointing to the fact that the North Korean population has not been vaccinated.

Earlier in the day, the UN Human Rights Office called on Pyongyang to urgently launch negotiations with the UN on provision of humanitarian support for the country in its fight against COVID-19, also urging the North Korean authorities to facilitate the return of UN and other international staff to the country to assist in the delivery of support services.

North Korea reported its first COVID-19 cases last week, as several citizens tested positive for the Omicron BA.2 variant. The state-run Korean Central news Agency reported about an "unknown fever" spreading in the country since late April. The fever is believed to be an airborne coronavirus infection, but the exact number of patients specifically infected with COVID-19 remains unknown.

North Korea has introduced a lockdown in all cities and counties in order to contain the spread of the virus.