Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was last week granted an exemption from international sanctions that will allow it to send equipment needed for the diagnosis and management of the novel coronavirus to North Korea, it emerged Tuesday.

A letter posted to the website of the UN's 1718 committee -- responsible for overseeing sanctions on the DPRK -- dated February 20 revealed that MSF will now be permitted to provide North Korea's health ministry with "essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and diagnostic items."