N.Korea pharmacies open 24/7 in COVID outbreak

STORY: The North’s state-run television KRT aired footage of medical staff in face masks and protective suits working in pharmacies and provided information about the Omicron variant as part of a public campaign to combat what authorities have acknowledged is an "explosive" outbreak.

North Korea has mobilized its military to distribute COVID medications and deployed more than 10,000 health workers to help trace potential patients in its battle against the outbreak, state media said on Tuesday (May 17).

The state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters reported 269,510 more people with fever symptoms, bringing the total to 1,483,060, while the death toll grew to 56 as of Monday (May 16) evening, KCNA said. It did not say how many people have tested positive for COVID-19.