500 people remain under “medical observation” in North Korea, state media reported Friday, as part of efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 within the country.

Party daily the Rodong Sinmun last week reported that around 2280 people nationwide remained under quarantine, with Friday’s reporting suggesting that roughly 1780 citizens were released in the past week.

“Those [previously] subjected to medical observation in North Phyongan province, South Hwanghae province, Jagang province, Kangwon province, South Hamgyong province, and the city of Kaesong have been released,” the state-run Korean Central New Agency (KCNA) said. “Some 500 people remain [under quarantine] nationwide.”

According to the COVID-19 Tracker by NK News’s sister site NK Pro, other regions that were previously known to have citizens under quarantine are the South Phyongan and Ryanggang provinces, as well as the city of Rason.

Officially, more than 10,000 citizens have been reported placed under isolation across the country.

The Rodong Sinmun on Friday reiterated claims that the country has “not one infected patient… when the whole world fell into a great pandemonium due to the damage from malicious virus infection.”

Those who were previously under isolation are being released following instructions from the Central Emergency Quarantine Command, reported the KCNA, adding that they will remain under close medical monitoring.

Meanwhile, a recent “summing-up meeting” on national emergency quarantine work reportedly discussed some units’ reportedly lax and complacent attitude towards preventing the pandemic.

“The meeting especially emphasized… strengthening anti-epidemic quarantine work… sustaining the national emergency quarantine system… until the virus infection disease is completely gone globally,” the KCNA said.

The party daily on Friday dedicated the entirety of its fifth page to “anti-epidemic quarantine work,” following an article celebrating the 40th anniversary of the country’s public health law.

Lauding the fact that the country has seen no confirmed coronavirus cases in its territory so far, the Rodong pointed to the country’s “general free medical care” system — implemented followed that law — as a contributing factor.

Carrying eight articles on the anti-epidemic work taking place across the country, the party daily on Friday also featured an interview with officials of the Ministry Public Health in which they reviewed quarantine measures implemented last month.

One official, bureau director Song In Bom, claimed that hygiene propaganda work is continuing in the country and that it is successfully producing disinfectants.

However, the official went on to criticize how some provinces had failed to plan hygiene work in detail, reprimanding their “perfunctory” efforts.

Other articles detailed domestic measures being taken across the country, including the disinfection of Pyongyang Yokjon Department Store and its checking of customers’ temperature at all times.

The country also reportedly continues to implement disinfection and quarantine rules on “items being imported from other countries” at places such as Sinuiju border point and Sinuiju Chongnyon Station, another Rodong article said.

All regions are “responding to even the slightest symptoms in a prognosticating manner,” it claimed, praising medical students and teachers who have reportedly been mobilized in Pyongyang and Haeju to lend a hand with medical check-ups.

“Thousands of protective suits have been produced and sent to regions across the country… by a factory under the Ministry of People’s Security,” it added.

Edited by Oliver Hotham