Coronavirus outbreak: After disappearing for weeks, Kim Jong Un attends public event

Amid the unprecedented outbreak of deadly coronavirus in neighbouring China, North Korea's Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un made his first public appearance on February 16 in over three weeks. Kim reportedly “paid high tribute” to his father Kim Jong II at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang that also holds the embalmed bodies of his father and grandfather. 

The novel virus which has been officially named as 'Covid-19' was originated in China and has claimed more than 1,600 lives, raising alarm in North Korea which has now closed its border with China along with the suspension of flights, trains to and from its ally and neighbour. Even though North Korea has not said anything about the coronavirus cases in the country, it has still halted international tourism and extended the quarantine period to 30 days for those who are suspected to carry the virus including foreigners. 

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Kim attended event after 22 days

According to international media reports, the state media has posted photos of officials holding emergency meetings while wearing masks as well as the images of workers disinfecting the public areas such as hospitals, schools, railway stations and hair salons. The recent appearance of Kim is the first one in 22 days after he had attended the Lunar New Year celebrations. Since then, the North Korean supreme leader had disappeared from the public while the global leaders were raising concerns over the coronavirus outbreak. 

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Some international media reports also state that North Korea lacks efficient medical infrastructure and has a chronic shortage of medicines. The country has also taken a similar approach in previous outbreaks including Ebola virus when it banned the tourists for more than four months from October 2014 to keep out the virus even though none of its cases were recorded in Asia. 

Meanwhile, China has reported a drop in new cases of COVID-19, for the third consecutive day after witnessing an increase due to change in methodology. According to China’s National Health Commission, 2,009 new cases with 142 more deaths worldwide have been reported because of coronavirus. 

The death toll of deadly coronavirus has reached at least 1,665 and nearly 68,000 confirmed cases have been detected till now. While most of the cases are from China's Hubei province and the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak, and other countries, including Japan and the Philippines, have also now reported deaths related to COVID-19. 

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(With agency inputs)