North Korean leader Kim Jong-un proclaimed, on Wednesday August 10, a “brilliant victory” on Covid-19, after almost two weeks without any officially recorded cases. Chairing a meeting with health personnel and scientists, Kim Jong-un welcomed this “victory (…) in the war against the malignant pandemic disease”according to the official KCNA news agency.
“The victory won by our people is a historic event that once again showed the world the greatness of our state, the indomitable tenacity of our people and the beautiful national customs of which we are proud”added the North Korean leader, quoted by the agency.
North Korea, one of the first countries in the world to close its borders in January 2020 after the virus emerged in neighboring China, has long boasted of its ability to guard against the virus.
Under-equipped hospitals
Pyongyang announced its first case of coronavirus on May 12 and Kim Jong-un has taken personal responsibility for the fight against the epidemic, and since July 29 Pyongyang has not reported any new cases. North Korea has recorded nearly 4.8 million infections since late April, with just 74 deaths, an official case fatality rate of 0.002%, according to KCNA.
The country’s hospitals are notoriously under-equipped, with few intensive care units and no coronavirus treatment or vaccine available, experts say.
Neighboring South Korea, which has an efficient health system and a high vaccination rate among its population, has a mortality rate of 0.12% by comparison, according to official figures.