/ 17 May 2022

Kim slams North Korea’s slow COVID response

Image source: Getty
Image source: Getty

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the country’s military to respond to the surge in COVID cases as he criticised health officials for not acting quickly enough to distribute treatment reserves. According to state media, more than 1.2 million people have fallen ill since late April and at least 50 people have died. It’s unconfirmed how many of those are actually positive because it’s believed the nation cannot handle large-scale testing. North Korea says it’s the nation’s first major outbreak of COVID, and global health officials are worried because its 26 million population are vulnerable due to poor health services and low vaccination rates. After ally China announced it was ready to provide medical assistance last week, its least favourite neighbour South Korea says it’s willing to provide help if North Korea accepts it.

Know someone who'd be interested in this story? Click to share...

The Squiz Today

Your shortcut to being informed, we've got your news needs covered.

Get the Squiz Today newsletter

Quick, agenda-free news that doesn't take itself too seriously. Get on it.