N. Korea reports 186,000 new suspected COVID-19 cases, one more death

SEOUL, May 22 (Yonhap) -- North Korea said Sunday around 186,000 new cases of fever and another death have been reported, as it announced a COVID-19 outbreak on its soil earlier this month.

More than 186,090 people showed symptoms of fever, with one additional death reported, over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

It raised the death toll to 67, with the fatality rate standing at 0.003 percent, added the KCNA.

The fever caseload reported since late April in the nation, with a population of 24 million, had come to more than 2.64 million as of 6 p.m. Saturday, of which more than 2.06 million have recovered and at least 579,390 are being treated, according to the KCNA.

On May 12, the reclusive North made public its first confirmed case of the omicron variant. Many North Korea observers have raised concerns about the impoverished country's heath care system, including its coronavirus testing capabilities. They also say Pyongyang might be underreporting the number of patients showing symptoms and related deaths.
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