Oct 7, 2021 - World

WHO sending North Korea COVID medical supplies

Rebecca Falconer

Health officials spray disinfectant as part of preventative measures against Covid-19, in the Daesong Department Store in Pyongyang on September 27 — Health officials spray disinfectant as part of preventative measures against COVID-19, in the Daesong Department Store in Pyongyang, North Korea, in September. Photo: Kim Won JinAFP via Getty Images

The World Health Organization said it's sending COVID-19 medical supplies to North Korea.

Why it matters: It's an indication that North Korea may be loosening one of the "world's strictest pandemic border closures to receive outside help," notes AP, which first reported the news. North Korea has never publicly confirmed a coronavirus case, though experts doubt it's been untouched by infection.

What's happening: The WHO said in a weekly monitoring report that it's begun the process of sending the supplies via Dalian's port in northeast China for "strategic stockpiling and further dispatch" to North Korea.

North Korea has reported to the WHO that all of the 40,700 people it tested for the virus through Sept. 23 returned negative results. 94 had flu-like symptoms.

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WHO sending North Korea COVID medical supplies

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