North Korea reports 5,368 ‘suspected’ COVID-19 cases, surge amid military parade | NK News
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September 16, 2026Sep 16, 2026

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North Korea reports 5,368 ‘suspected’ COVID-19 cases, surge amid military parade

The number of those tested and quarantined in the DPRK spiked around the Oct. 10 parade, but no confirmed cases yet

Last month, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un tearfully thanked his country for having “not a single” COVID-19 case in a speech at the country’s massive Oct. 10 military parade.

But around the same time, the number of people tested, quarantined and “suspected” of contracting the virus spiked, according to new data from the World Health Organization (WHO).

As of Oct. 22, North Korea recorded 5,368 “suspected” COVID-19 cases “as a result of intensified surveillance,” WHO said on Tuesday. Eight of these cases involved foreigners.

This “intensified surveillance” could be related to North Korea’s military parade: 3,373 nationals were added