N. Korea reports 269,500 more fever cases amid COVID spread

BEIJING. KAZINFORM - North Korea on Tuesday reported more than 269,500 new cases of fever and six more deaths in the past day as suspected coronavirus cases continue to spread rapidly in the country, Kyodo reports.

The number of new cases of fever between Sunday evening and 6 p.m. Monday fell from some 392,900 cases reported Monday. The total number of deaths now stands at 56, the state-run Korean Central News Agency said.

The number of new fever cases declined for the first time since the North Korean authorities started releasing data Saturday, but more than 1 percent of the country's population of around 25.88 million is being added to the number of fever sufferers each day.

With the latest figures, a total of more than 1.48 million people have suffered a fever since late April, of which more than 819,000 have recovered, KCNA said, citing data from the country's emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

North Korea confirmed Thursday its first COVID-19 case since the pandemic started more than two years ago.