North Korea: Test Results For First Suspected COVID-19 Case Inconclusive

North Korea has warned its citizens that any breach of rules related to anti-epidemic measures could have “critical consequences.”

The ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun said that all citizens should take part in the measures.

North Korea declared a state of emergency and locked down the border city of Kaesong on July 26 after a person who defected to South Korea three years ago returned across the fortified border with what state media said were symptoms of COVID-19, reported Financial Express (FE).

The authorities have quarantined over 3,635 primary and secondary contacts, a World Health Organisation (WHO) official told Reuters.

Although at the time, state media was unclear over whether the man had been tested, saying “uncertain result was made from several medical check-ups”, their leader Kim Jong Un declared that “the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country.”

“The person was tested for COVID-19, but test results were inconclusive,” Dr. Edwin Salvador, WHO representative for North Korea, said in comments emailed to Reuters on Wednesday, reported FE.

As many as 64 first contacts and 3,571 secondary contacts of the suspected case have been identified and quarantined in government facilities for a period of 40 days, Salvador said.

Kaesong remains under lockdown, and household doctors continue to conduct surveillance in the city, he said, reported FE.