New Delhi: For all its claims of zero covid cases, North Korea is seeing an upsurge in infections.
Confirming the situation, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un appeared wearing a mask first time on Friday.
The mask-wearing leader attended a meeting to discuss covid outbreak, a day after the nation reported 'first covid cases'.
Earlier when the world was reeling from covid, North Korea claimed to have no covid cases for the last two years.
Following the first cases, Kim Jong-un has all the cities and counties shut down, alongside isolating work places by units.
Most of its 26 million people are believed to be unvaccinated, which could compound the virus impact.
Samples for tests were collected from an unspecified number of people with fevers in the capital Pyongyang, according to the official Korean Central Agency.
Tests reportedly confirmed people were infected with omicron variant of the virus.
Reports say six people with fever symptoms – including a confirmed Covid-19 case— have died.
About 187,800 people are getting care in isolation places for fever, following an 'explosive spread nationwide'.
Since April, 350,000 people have shown fever symptoms and of them, 18,000 reported on Thursday.
The United States said it had "no plans" to send vaccines to North Korea, but supported international efforts to help the vulnerable people in the country.
It is hard to say if the hermit-state is going under, given its poor interaction with the rest of the world.