(LEAD) N. Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases under 10,000 for 3rd day: state media

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout with more info)
By Yi Wonju

SEOUL, June 27 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's new suspected COVID-19 cases have remained below 10,000 for the third consecutive day, its state media said Monday.

More than 7,300 people showed symptoms of fever over a 24-hour period until 6 p.m. the previous day, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said, citing data from the state emergency epidemic prevention headquarters.

It did not provide information on whether additional deaths have been reported. As of June 15, 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 4.72 million as of 6 p.m. Sunday, of which more than 4.7 million have recovered and at least 13,840 are being treated, it added.

The nation's health authorities are ramping up nationwide efforts to prevent the spread of "new epidemics," according to the KCNA.

They are taking measures to adjust the quarantine and lockdown standard of "anti-epidemically dangerous objects," it reported.

On May 12, North Korea announced its first COVID-19 case after claiming to be coronavirus-free for over two years. The country's daily fever tally has been on a downward trend after peaking at over 392,920 on May 15.

In mid-June, the North also reported an outbreak of an "acute enteric epidemic" in South Hwanghae Province near the border with South Korea. It did not specify what the disease is.

julesyi@yna.co.kr
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