N. Korea lifts quarantine on 221 foreigners

SEOUL, March 6 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's state media said Friday that it has lifted the quarantine placed on 221 foreigners over coronavirus concerns.

They were among about 380 foreign nationals who were put under quarantine to prevent an outbreak of COVID-19 on its soil, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

It did not mention who they were but media reports have said that foreign diplomats were released earlier this week after a month of isolation in Pyongyang.

In mid-February, North Korea doubled the quarantine period for people at risk of being exposed to the virus to a month as it stepped up anti-virus efforts across the country.

The North has not reported any confirmed coronavirus infections, but speculation persists that it might be concealing an outbreak that is possibly spiraling out of control.

kokobj@yna.co.kr
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