North Korea’s Kim Jong Un calls for stronger Covid-19 measures, avoids wearing mask

North Korea immersed more reliable measures against the rapidly spreading coronavirus pandemic at a meeting presided by leader Kim Jong Un, state media published Sunday, without confirming whether the country had reported any infections.

The previously isolated, nuclear-armed North immediately shut down its borders after the virus was first identified in neighbouring China in January, and required strict containment measures.

Officials in Pyongyang and its state media have frequently declared that the North remains free of the virus, but Sunday's report didn't make that statement.

The coronavirus epidemic which has infected over 1.7 million worldwide had become "a great disaster threatening the entire mankind, irrespective of borders and regions", the Korean Central press agency (KCNA) reported.

"Such an environment can become a situation creating some barriers to our effort and growth," it said, continuing Pyongyang maintained "very stable anti-epidemic situation".

The conference of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea on Saturday addressed changing policy tasks within the wake of the epidemic, KCNA reported, as officials required strict and thorough check of the infiltration of the virus.

A resolution was adopted "on more completely taking national measures for safeguarding the life and safety of our people to deal with the worldwide epidemic disease", it added.

Photos taken by the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper showed none of the officials -- including Kim -- wearing masks and sitting close to one another side by side around a round table.

Experts have said North Korea is primarily liable to the virus due to its weak healthcare system, and defectors have accused Pyongyang of covering up a scourge.

As a part of its anti-virus efforts, North Korea put thousands of its people and many foreigners including diplomats into isolation and mounted disinfection drives.

The World Health Organization told 709 people 11 foreigners and 698 nationals are tested for the virus as of April 2, while quite 24,800 people are released from quarantine.

Nearly every other country has reported coronavirus cases. Other than China, South Korea endured one in all the worst early outbreaks of the virus.

Recorded cases of infection across 193 countries now exceed one 1.7 million, including over 108,000 deaths, in step with an AFP tally Sunday supported official country data and WHO figures.