North Korea: Authorities place Kaesong (North Hwanghae Province) under lockdown after reporting first suspected COVID-19 case on July 26 /update 3

Event

On Sunday, July 26, North Korean authorities placed the southern city of Kaesong (North Hwanghae Province) under lockdown, after having reported the first suspected case of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country. State news announced that a defector that had illegally returned to North Korea last week was symptomatic. The patient has been put in strict quarantine, as will any individual they have been in contact with. South Korean authorities have not reported any illegal border crossings in recent days.

North Korea had previously not reported any COVID-19 cases, despite both South Korea and China being affected by the pandemic early on. North Korean borders have been shut since January, and thousands have reportedly been put in isolation in an attempt to limit the spread of the disease.

Further international spread of the disease is to be expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly, and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.