North Korean military ramps up Covid response as outbreak grows

Hundreds of military medical personnel were seen at a rally in Pyongyang in a photo released by the official KCNA news agency

Factfile on Covid-19 outbreak in North Korea, as of May 16.

North Korean military medics ramped up the distribution of medicines to fight a growing coronavirus outbreak, state media said on Tuesday, with the number of reported cases of "fever" nearing 1.5 million.

Leader Kim Jong Un has ordered nationwide lockdowns to try and slow the spread of the disease through the unvaccinated population, and deployed the military after what he has called a botched response to the outbreak.

The military "urgently deployed its powerful forces to all pharmacies in Pyongyang City and began to supply medicines under the 24-hour service system", KCNA said.

Kim had strongly criticised healthcare officials for their failure to keep pharmacies open.

Authorities had reported more than 1.48 million cases of "fever" as of Monday evening, KCNA said, with the death toll at 56.

Authorities have stepped up media awareness campaigns and pharmaceutical factories have increased the production of medicines, KCNA reported.

North Korea has one of the world's worst healthcare systems, with poorly-equipped hospitals, few intensive care units, and no Covid treatment drugs or mass testing ability, experts say.

She urged the international community to offer medicines, vaccines and infrastructure to North Korea.

South Korea's new president Yoon Suk-yeol has taken a hawkish stance on his country's nuclear-armed neighbour, but told lawmakers Monday that he would "not hold back" on aid -- if Pyongyang accepts.

The United States and South Korea have warned that Kim is preparing to conduct another nuclear test -- the country's seventh.

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