North Korea has reported more than 200,000 new patients suffering from fever for a fifth consecutive day as the country fights its first confirmed coronavirus outbreak.
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The ongoing COVID wave, declared last week, has fuelled concerns over a lack of vaccines, inadequate medical infrastructure and a potential food crisis in the country of 25 million that has refused outside help and kept its borders shut.
South Korea's Yonhap news agency has cited the North's state broadcaster as saying at least 219,030 people showed fever symptoms as of Friday evening, taking the total number of such cases to 2,460,640.
Yonhap says Korean Central Television was reporting data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters. The death toll rose by one to 66.
With no national vaccination campaign and limited testing capability, the daily data released by state media could be underreported, and it may be difficult to assess the scale of North Korea's COVID wave, experts have said.
The UN human rights agency has warned of "devastating" consequences for its 25 million people, while the World Health Organisation said an unchecked spread could lead to the emergence of deadlier new variants.
Australian Associated Press
