N. Korea stepping up efforts to prevent influx of coronavirus: report
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Yonhap) -- North Korea is ratcheting up efforts to prevent an influx of the new coronavirus into the country, the country's main newspaper said Sunday.
The communist state has not yet reported the outbreak of the deadly virus but given its proximity to China, it has been extremely vigilant against the outbreak of the novel virus.
North Korea has shut down all its air and railway routes across its borders with China in an apparent effort to prevent the spread of the new strain of coronavirus into the country, according to the British government.
Pyongyang has announced that "all air and train routes between North Korea and China are temporarily suspended as of 31 January 2020" in response to the outbreak of the new virus across the globe, the British foreign ministry said earlier on its website.
North Korea has also decided to keep all foreigners arriving in the country via China isolated for up to one month to prevent the pneumonia-like illness from spreading onto its soil, according to the Russian Embassy.
The Rodong Sinmun carried multiple articles detailing preventive work being done in Pyongyang and other cities against the coronavirus, which was first reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan in late December. It has since claimed over 300 lives in China and infected many others in the country and around the world.
One Rodong article stated that North Korea's state disease control center and its national quality management body have conducted checks on North Korean residents returning from overseas trips, with particular attention being paid to areas bordering China.
A separate feature showed preventive measures being taken at Pyongyang International Airport, the only international airport in the North Korean capital.
"In order to completely keep the new cornonavirus from spreading, (airport authorities) have taken an aggressive stance and have been undertaking checkups and quarantine efforts inside airplanes," the report stated.
(END)
-
(URGENT) Russian, Chinese warplanes enter S. Korea's air defense zone without notice: JCS
-
BTS to meet Biden at White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes
-
Premier League Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min receives hero's welcome home
-
Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
Hyundai Motor to invest US$5 bln in U.S. for robotics, autonomous driving development
-
(5th LD) Yoon, Biden agree to expand joint military exercises to cope with N.K. threats
-
(LEAD) Multiple Russian, Chinese warplanes enter KADIZ without notice: JCS
-
With historic Golden Boot, Son Heung-min cements case as greatest S. Korean footballer ever
-
(URGENT) Russian, Chinese warplanes enter S. Korea's air defense zone without notice: JCS
-
(LEAD) Supreme Court rules against peak wage system
-
BTS to meet Biden at White House to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes
-
S. Korean volunteer fighter in Ukraine returns home with injuries
-
S. Korean volunteer fighter in Ukraine returning home
-
(LEAD) Supreme Court rules against peak wage system
-
S. Korea's new COVID-19 cases below 20,000 for 2nd day as omicron wave ebbs