North Korea still claiming it’s COVID-free in latest WHO report | NK News
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October 13, 2026Oct 13, 2026

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North Korea still claiming it’s COVID-free in latest WHO report

Over 28,000 have reportedly been tested inside the DPRK, but the country says all tests came back negative

North Korea says it has not detected COVID-19 in the country after testing over 28,000 people, according to a newly updated report by the World Health Organization (WHO).

North Korea reported that it tested 738 people for the coronavirus between May 14 and May 20, including 153 that had “influenza-like illness and/or severe acute respiratory symptoms,” but none have tested positive for the virus.

North Korea says it tested 28,184 people cumulatively for the virus as of May 20, according to the WHO’s Weekly COVID-19 Situational Report. North Korea self-reports COVID statistics to the WHO, which then reprints those numbers