UPDATE: State media reported Friday that North Korea lifted the lockdown order after the four fever patients tested positive for “influenza virus,” not COVID-19 as Thursday’s report implied was possible. The report said “influenza can easily occur” throughout the country this time of year but warned those with fever should still immediately contact authorities.

North Korean authorities have issued lockdown orders in a province bordering China after discovering four people came down with fever, according to state media Thursday, the first publicly reported outbreak scare since the country claimed COVID-19 was completely eradicated two weeks ago.

The developments come after