N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases close to 20,000

SEOUL, June 18 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases dropped to nearly 20,000, according to its state media Saturday.

More than 20,360 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. As of Wednesday, the death toll stood at 73, with a fatality rate of 0.002 percent.

The total number of fever cases since late April came to over 4.6 million as of 6 p.m. Friday, of which more than 4.56 million have recovered, and at least 36,390 are being treated, it added.

The country's daily fever tally has been on a downward trend after peaking at over 392,920 on May 15.
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