Covid North Korea: Sending cargo planes to China as the country battles the epidemic

Covid North Korea: Sending cargo planes to China as the country battles the epidemic

The official said the planes traveled to Taoxian International Airport in Shenyang, northeast China’s Liaoning Province.

It is not known what the planes were carrying, but the rare flight came after China pledged assistance North Korea With the outbreak of the Covid disease, which experts have warned could cause a major humanitarian crisis in the isolated and impoverished country.
North Korea officially confirmed The first ever cases of Covid were last week. It had not previously admitted any cases and kept its borders tightly closed since January 2020.

Since May 12, North Korea has reported nearly two million cases of “fever”, with state media describing it as a “major national emergency” and authorities scrambling to respond.

All cities have been placed under lockdown, and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un army mobilization To help secure drug supplies in the capital, Pyongyang.

After the first cases were announced, China said it was ready to provide full support “as comrades, neighbors and friends” to North Korea. A Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said the two countries have “remarkable traditions of mutual assistance”.

Throughout the epidemic, China has sent millions of vaccine doses around the world, as well concluded agreements Last year with the International Vaccine Exchange Program COVAX to provide more than half a billion injections.

According to the World Health Organization, North Korea has not yet established a program of vaccination against the Covid-19 virus, which puts its population at risk. The country’s crumbling healthcare system also lacks the medicines and supplies needed to combat the Covid-19 outbreak.

See also  Boris Johnson returns to Britain to launch a potential political comeback

The situation has alarmed international bodies, with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights warning on Tuesday that the outbreak – and the restrictions imposed – could have a “devastating impact on the human rights situation in the country”.

Human Rights Watch also expressed concern, urging the United Nations and governments around the world to “make every effort to persuade North Korea to allow foreign humanitarian assistance.”

The South Korean government said it has offered North Korea assistance, including medicines, vaccines and other medical supplies, but has yet to receive any response.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *