North Korea locks down city after 1 suspected case of coronavirus

New Delhi : North Korea has imposed a lockdown on the border city of Kaesong after identifying the country's first suspected case of coronavirus, said a media report.

Leader Kim Jong Un convened an emergency politburo meeting on Saturday to implement a "maximum emergency system and issue a top-class alert" to contain the virus, official news agency KCNA said.

The agency confirmed that this is the first officially recorded case of coronavirus in North Korea, which is believed to have poor medical facilities to deal with any kind of pandemic.

KCNA said a defector who had left for the South three years ago returned on July 19 after "illegally crossing" the heavily fortified border dividing the countries.

But there have been no reports in the South of anyone leaving through what is one of the world's most secure borders, replete with minefields and guard posts.

Earlier, North Korea has proudly claimed of not having any coronavirus cases despite the fact that the Covid-19 infection swiped up the globe.

The patient was found in Kaesong City, which borders the South, and "was put under strict quarantine", as would anybody who had come in close contact, state media said.

It was a "dangerous situation... that may lead to a deadly and destructive disaster", the media outlet added.

Kim was quoted as saying "the vicious virus could be said to have entered the country", and officials on Friday took the "preemptive measure of totally blocking Kaesong City".