North Korea has conducted over 700 tests for the novel coronavirus, while more than 500 people are in quarantine in the country as of April 2, the World Health Organization told CNN on Wednesday.
But Pyongyang maintains there are still no confirmed cases of the virus in the country.
This is despite North Korea sharing borders with the two countries home to Asia’s largest outbreaks — China and South Korea.
“As of 2 April, 709 people – 11 foreigners and 698 nationals – have been tested for (coronavirus). There is no report of (a positive) case. There are 509 people in quarantine – two foreigners and 507 nationals,” Dr. Edwin Salvador, the WHO Representative to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, North Korea’s official name, said in an email reply.
North Korea providing updates: The WHO, which said it had been receiving “weekly updates” from the North Korean health ministry, said that Pyongyang has the capacity to test for coronaviruses in its national reference lab.
“Since 31 December 24,842 people have been released from quarantine, which includes 380 foreigners,” Salvador said. WHO has been informed that North Korea received some primers and probes to test for coronavirus from China in January, he added.
Gen. Robert Abrams, Commander of US Forces Korea (USFK) told CNN on April 2 that based on military intelligence, it was an “impossible claim” that there were no coronavirus cases in North Korea.
